Escalation (OUTDATED)
by TheEmperorHimself
Summary: (Post-Season 3 AU) As the Rebellion regains strength, Ezra Bridger falls farther down the path of no return. As the horrors of war become more prominent, as the Empire begins to retaliate, the darkness calls to him.
1. Atollon's Aftermath

The rewrite of my previous fanfic. Please give any constructive criticism you'd like in the reviews! Suggestions are welcome!

* * *

"There are things in the universe that are simply and purely evil. A warrior does not seek to understand them, or to compromise with them. He seeks only to obliterate them."

―Mitth'raw'nuruodo

* * *

 **Coruscant.**

Grand Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo stood in the cockpit of the Analyst, his personal Lambda-class T-4a Shuttle. The blue streaks of hyperspace were fading, signaling the shuttle's exit from hyperspace. Imperial Grand Admirals were always given the privilege of bypassing the intense traffic of the Coruscant skylines. All he had to do was wait for his shuttle command staff to submit their clearance codes.

A voice buzzed at the comms. Most likely the voice of a Sector Command staff member. "Shuttle Analyst, please submit your clearance codes and state the reason for your visit..."

This was a common procedure the Coruscant Sector staff followed when concerning high-ranking individuals in the Imperial Military. Senators, Governors, and Moffs bypassed the security completely.

Thrawn's red eyes briefly turned to the two pilots transmitting the codes, before he said his response...

"The Emperor has demanded a report in person... I will be meeting him in the Imperial Palace."

There was a long pause as the codes were transmitted to the Praetor Mark II-class Battlecruiser serving as the flagship of the Coruscant Defense Fleet. Thrawn had studied Praetors and other Kuat designs extensively. He quickly recalled all that he'd learned about this rare class of warship.

The Praetor Mark II is a battlecruiser designed primarily for the defense of important Imperial worlds, such as Coruscant and Kuat. It was an incredibly rare sight on the battlefield, as its slow speed did not fit with Imperial fleet tactics. The Chiss had disagreed many times with the Imperial Navy doctrines, mostly on their view of starfighters as cannon fodder. The Praetor's lack of use was understandable. It was a very old design... dating back to the Clone Wars. A Praetor was directly involved in the Devastation of Pammant.

"You are clear to proceed, Grand Admiral..." The voice of the Admiral on the comms said, cutting off Thrawn's thoughts.

"Thank, you Admiral..." Thrawn replied. He stood calmly as the Lambda shuttle's engines boosted to atmospheric speed.

The first thing you always noticed about Coruscant was the sheer amount of people. The skylines are constantly dotted with lines of starships and airspeeders. The other thing you notice is the extremely tight security on Coruscant, but it lessened the farther down you go.

The surface's airspace was dotted with security checkpoints, each of them consisting of either an EF76 Nebulon-B Escort Frigate or an Arquitens-class Light Cruiser. Passing through all layers of security would normally take hours, but Thrawn is able to bypass all of it.

The Lambda shuttle kept its steady pace, as it met with an escort of two red TIE/IN Interceptors. These interceptors, piloted by Royal Guardsmen, would patrol the airspace surrounding the Imperial Palace.

To the Chiss Grand Admiral, it was very interesting how Coruscant had such tight security—yet the Outer Rim city planets had little to no security. Eli had always talked about the Empire's types of prejudices. The more prominent being distance from the Core Worlds, which provided an explanation for that tactical anomaly. Thrawn personally hated it, mostly based on his own experiences in the Empire. Now, however, he didn't care much about it.

The Lambda shuttle finally reached its destination, landing in the Palace hangars as the Interceptors returned to patrol duty.

Thrawn watched the Royal Guards approach, as he walked down the ramp of the Analyst.

The Royal Guards escorted him through the gigantic former Jedi Temple, giving him a very long opportunity to admire the architecture. It was not extremely ornate, giving a clue to the previous owners. Jedi were not too keen on building very ostensibly, but somehow managed to preserve the beauty of the structure. It was fascinating... But the sheer emptiness, caused by Palpatine's removal of the Jedi artifacts, was very unsettling to many of the visitors.

But this is not why Thrawn is here. He is here to directly report to the Emperor on his campaign against the Rebellion. He remained calm throughout the hour of walking through a maze of halls, until they reached the center courtyard. The guards remained at the entrance as Thrawn continued on.

Emperor Sheev Palpatine walked through the garden, taking in the scenery... Before he turned to face the Chiss.

"Grand Admiral Thrawn, what is your opinion on my newest addition to the garden?"

Thrawn's deep red eyes scanned the area, finding the new additions. They were deep green palms native to Scarif, contrasting with the vibrantly colorful flowers surrounding the palm bushes.

"A very interesting choice, your majesty... The palms provide a very visually appealing contrast to the colorful Naboo wildflowers in the surrounding area..." Thrawn explained... He's always thought of the Emperor's garden design as a work of art in itself. There was always something new and interesting added on every visit.

"Excellent... Those indeed were my intentions with this new flora." The Emperor said calmly, never taking his eyes off the palm. "Now, I'd like to hear of any news involving the Rebellion..."

Thrawn's red eyes stared aimlessly, his face showing no emotion... "The Rebellion is currently on the run, after losing most of its fleet defending against my attack five months ago... My efforts are focused on preventing them from restoring their fleet."

"Are there any reports of possible candidates for Rebel sympathy in major shipbuilders?" Palpatine inquired, turning to face the Admiral.

"The prime candidate is the Mon Calamari. They have committed a mass exodus from their world, and use massive transports with a modular design. This may allow them to convert the transports into powerful capital ships." Thrawn reported.

"Very good... However, I have a secondary task for you to complete during your missions..." Palpatine made himself clear... Walking closer to the Grand Admiral.

"And, what do you require?" Thrawn inquired, not completely sure of his task. He could see that Palpatine's facial body temperature remained normal, not having the glow of an agitated or saddened being.

"The young Jedi Ezra Bridger could make a powerful ally... If encountered, capture him alive... So Lord Vader may 'convince' him to join our cause... Any resources that you require will be provided for."

"Very well... I will bring the boy to you..." The Chiss said, his red eyes showing indifference. He didn't care about what happens to Bridger, but he is determined to complete all of his tasks.

"Then go make peace in the Empire..." Palpatine said... He always said this as a farewell, indicating that the meeting was complete...

Thrawn walked back to the entrance, beginning the long journey back to the Analyst. His new destination: the Seventh Fleet in the repair bays on Kuat.


	2. Alliances Forged

"Concentration, focus, long-term thinking—those are the qualities that separate a warrior from a mere flailing fighter."

-Grand Admiral Thrawn

* * *

 **Deep Space, in the Calamari Sector...**

"This is Ghost to _Akaga_ , we're docking now..."

The EF76 Nebulon-B Frigate was one of the few still battle-ready. The Rebellion didn't have any resources to fully repair its warships, and they only kept losing more of them...

Hera skilly fully maneuvered the ship to the ship's docking bay, which was part of that downward spire on the 300 meter long frigate's bow. It was unreliable, and barely had any space for fighters, let alone a freighter like the Ghost. But that was their only way in, with both the port and starboard docking rings heavily damaged during an encounter with a pair of _Victory_ -class Star Destroyers. It wasn't pleasant...

"They should be here right now," Hera said. She didn't actually know who they were meeting with, but Senator Organa had said that they were extremely important.

She was the only crew member on the Ghost, because the rest have gone on supply runs... The Yavin cell severely needed parts to repair the frigates, or new ships to replace them. The Nebulons were stolen from the Empire before, and they were extremely easy to capture.

"We have ships leaving hyperspace!" The captain's alert was well timed, both Hera and General Dodonna finally arrived on the bridge. The sight of the ships gave a huge surge of hope in the tired and weary Rebels.

"This is our chance to fight back!", she thought... Such a thought was difficult to come by now, they say defeat crashing down upon them. And they had no way to react, other than to run... Now they didn't have to.

"General Dodonna..." A hoarse voice said... "And General Syndulla..."

The hologram flickered on, and the source of the voice became visible... A Mon Calamari similar to Quarrie, from back on Shantipole... But his skin was a very deep blackish-blue...

"I am Raddus, former mayor of the city Nystullum on Mon Cala... And a director of Mon Cala's planetary defense..." The Mon Calamari said in his signature hoarse voice...

"Welcome, Raddus... I'm General Hera Syndulla of the Rebellion..."

"And I am General Jan Dodonna... Your ships are quite impressive..."

Raddus replied, "However, the largest ships are completely unarmed... The smaller frigates are _Dreadnaught_ -class Cruisers..."

"Hmm... Our hidden shipyards have made plans involving _Dreadnaughts_... To turn them into powerful warships. And I believe they have space to refit your passenger cruisers, and possibly turn them into powerful capital ships," Dodonna said, "At least I hope we can... We don't have that many resources..."

"Generals, I suggest we jump to hyperspace, because it is very likely that we were tracked..." Raddus was suspicious of Imperial activity in the Mon Cala sector, due to its close proximity to Lothal.

And it turns out that his suspicions were correct! A pair of _Victory_ -class Star Destroyers, and one _Imperial_ -class Star Destroyer jump out of hyperspace. And in a matter of seconds they were preparing to open fire...

Dodonna immediately started spouting orders, saying, "Take evasive action! Direct power to the shields and hyperdrive! Make calculations for hyperspace jump!"

The Victory Star Destroyers started firing their light ion cannons, proving that they were the fast and deadly _Victory II_ -class. The shields on the Mon Calamari ships took little damage from the ion shots, and took even less from the turbolaser fire directed at them specifically.

Hera saw this, and immediately a thought came to her. -If we give them good weapons, they'll be able to stand up to Star Destroyers...- They already could, but they just couldn't fight back.

"Ready for jump to hyperspace!", a Mon Calamari officer said.

And it was in perfect timing, the shields on the _Akaga_ were almost down... If they did, the combined power of the Victories would tear it apart...

They watched the stars turn into streaks, before they turned into the deep blue glow of hyperspace... They were safe, for now...

"We should do at least three more jumps to prevent them from tracking us," Hera suggested. With these soon-to-be capital ships in their presence, it was best to avoid an attack. They couldn't risk losing them now...

* * *

 **On the bridge of the _Imperial I_ -class Star Destroyer Allecto**

Vice Admiral Rae Sloane looked through the transparisteel viewport, staring at the empty space once filled with Rebel ships.

"Contact Grand Admiral Thrawn immediately..." She stared at the comms officer.

In a matter of minutes, the spookily blue faced figure appeared on the holoprojector... His eyes glowing his signature deep red...

"Greetings, Vice Admiral... What do you require?"

"I've located a large rebel fleet. It had several strange looking ships, almost capital ship size... I attempted to engage them, but they escaped..."

"Your failure to capture them is most disappointing... But you have provided me with a piece of very crucial information... The Mon Calamari that escaped are in league with the Rebellion..."

"Mon Calamari?" She was confused... She was not informed of this.

"Yes, they led a mass exodus from the world of Mon Cala, close to the Lothal sector... Be on guard, Admiral... For they soon will be far more difficult to deal with."

"Yes, Grand Admiral..." The image of Thrawn disappeared... And Sloane returned to her usual duties, and began to mobilize the rest of her fleet.

* * *

 **Thrawn's Office, on the _Imperial I_ -class Star Destroyer Chimaera.**

Art... the key to somewhat knowing the psychology and beliefs of your enemies... Thrawn's personal chamber was filled with holograms of paintings, sculptures, anything that was of value to him...

But one piece stood out... It was an old Kaleesh mask, the mask of the legendary General Grievous... It hung above the entrance as a demand for respect from the alien-hating Imperials he was forced to work with...

"Grand Admiral Thrawn..." The voice of a female soon broke the silence. It was that of the Chimaera's captain, Varyn Faro...

"Yes, Commander Faro?" Thrawn said in a neutral tone, his eyes still closed... As if he was meditating, which is indeed his intention.

"There are reports of increasingly frequent guerilla raids on supply ships... The most recent one stated that they stole mechanical supplies and raw materials..." Her voice was one of cautious concern... What were they planning?

Thrawn's eyes finally opened, once again seeming to glow in the dimly lit room. He promptly switched off the holoprojector.

"What sort of raw materials were stolen in these raids?"

"All are used in starships... One primary target being doonium..."

The word stuck in both of their minds... It had been about two years since the end of Nightswan's raids... He offered tactical advice to pirates who coveted it, due to its unbelievably high demand... Thrawn's hand in putting a stop to the operations on Batonn is what earn him his promotion. Even if Governor Pryce is the one who actually killed the Rebels and civilians on Batonn.

But why? Why do the Rebels want doonium now...? Unless they were manufacturing or modifying starships...

"Were there new types of starships reported?"

"Yes, Admiral... Modified _Dreadnaught_ -class Heavy Cruisers... We believe they're called Assault Frigates..."

"Do we have any footage of them?" Thrawn inquired...

"Unfortunately we don't..."

Thrawn's face turned to a look of calm disappointment... "Unfortunate... However, this information may lead us to the second piece of the puzzle, Captain. The piece I've been searching for now for quite a while..."

"I congratulate you... May I ask just what exactly this puzzle is?" She replied, her face clearly indicating that she was confused...

"Why, the only puzzle worth solving, of course. The complete, total, and utter destruction of the Rebellion... You are dismissed..."

The Captain nodded, before she walked out of the entrance...

The Grand Admiral closed his eyes once again, reactivating the art gallery before returning to his meditation.

* * *

 **Classified Location at the Edge of Wild Space**

Hera came to the shipyard alone... The others were either gathering supplies to fuel this tiny factory, or stealing smaller warships from the Empire. They had nothing near the scope of a Victory-class Star Destroyer, and obviously nothing to deal with the deadly firepower of a Kuat Drive Yards Imperial I-class Star Destroyer... But these cruisers that arrived only several hours ago may be the key.

The sight of the massive cruisers very slowly being fitted with weapons always refueled her spirits. Their hull could take a beating, and their shields are extremely strong. All they need is an array of weapons so it can actually attack. For now, they're just extremely durable cannon fodder for warships...

She walked to another hallway in their hidden asteroid base, and found Senator Mothma, Senator Organa, and several scientists... They seemed to be in a very important discussion, but soon paused to look at Hera.

"General Syndulla, I'm glad you could make it," Bail said, "these two men are scientists of the Incom Corporation... I think you should listen to what they have to say."

"Thank you Senator... General, I'm Vors Voorhorian, Chief Engineer of the Incom Corporation..."

"Nice, to meet you, Mr. Voorhorian..." She politely replied, "What do you need from the Rebellion?"

"Well, the Empire nationalized Incom, and most of my staff, including myself, defected. In retaliation, we created a new class of space superiority fighter for the Rebel Alliance... However, they captured the four prototype T65 X-Wing Starfighters we created... I fear the Empire plans to use our fighters against us."

"I understand your problem... So you want us to steal the fighters?"

"Indeed... I brought several transport/gunships with me, so you can use them in the future... They're our new UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft... U-Wings for short."

"How many do we have?" She said curiously... They'll probably be of great use to the Alliance.

"The shipment I brought contains about 50... The company only produced 200 before it was nationalized. I'm sure Senator Organa will be able to acquire more for you, but that'll be all you have for now."

"I understand... What sort of features do these things have?"

"The s-foils are able to fold backward to increase the coverage of the deflector shields. And it's armed with two Taim and Bak TX7 laser cannons, and four 4j.4 fusial thrust engines."

"Any suggestions for modifications?"

"The loading doors can be modified into gunports for things such as EWEB Blaster Cannons, or any other mounted weapon... That sort of modification can transform them into heavy transport/gunships, like Rothana Heavy Engineering's LAAT/i, from the Clone Wars."

"Thank you, Mr. Voorhorian... We'll take all of that into consideration."

"I must be going now, I have to deliver these to Base One on Yavin."

Hera watched as he left... Trying to figure out what bold strategy she could use with X-Wings... And these new U-Wings.

* * *

 **The Bridge of** ** _Imperial_** **-class** **Star Destroyer Chimaera**

Thrawn watched as the Star Destroyer underwent repairs... and modifications. She was to be converted into the newly developed and tested _Imperial II_ -class Star Destroyer... Which featured new, heavier weaponry and a more compact sensor tower.

He watched as the construction droids removed his main turbolaser batteries... And replacing them with heavier octuple barbette turbolasers. The main difference between the two is the ability to fire all barrels simultaneously without instand overheating...

"Ms. Wessex, did you upgrade the ion cannons as I have requested?"

"Why yes, Grand Admiral. They're being installed right away."

"Excellent... These NK-9 ion cannons will be most useful on the shielding of enemy capital ships..."

The Grand Admiral walked out of the bridge, returning to his office/art gallery so he may study the art of the Mon Calamari. Before leaving through the door, he turned the Commander Faro.

"Commander Faro, after the ship's been fully converted and the symbol is repainted, set course for the Mustafar System..."

"Yes, Admiral... But what for?" She was one of many Imperials who were not familiar with Darth Vader's castle... But she has had experience working with him.

"I must speak with Lord Vader..." Thrawn said in an unsettlingly calm tone.

Her reaction was not surprising... Thrawn had heard of Vader's tendency to execute those who failed him... He did not agree with the unnecessary brutality, but he did see its purpose: to force complete obedience through fear. Faro's face was that of fear and horror...


	3. Captured

"The Force is strong with this one..."

-Darth Vader

* * *

 ** _Imperial I_** **-class Star Destroyer** ** _Death's Head_**

The newly promoted Commander Faro stood at the bridge, having taken command in Thrawn's absence.

"We will do everything during our current mission exactly as Thrawn instructed. I have faith in his tactical ability, and this plan is of the upmost important..."

"Yes, commander..."

The Seventh Fleet had spread throughout the Outer Rim, deploying Loronar _ORL_ -type scanners. With each scanners, an escort of _Lancer_ -class frigates and _Arquitens_ -class Light Cruisers would create a checkpoint...

The plan was simple, but would allow them to gather important information on the Rebellion's whereabouts. It wouldn't locate the Rebel Base, but it would warn them of an approaching fleet.

Obviously, the Rebels would find a way to work around this problem eventually, but it would give the Empire time to gather its forces.

"Commander, we're detecting a Y-Wing starfighter nearby..." They already found Rebels? That was very quick... Now, what would Thrawn do in this situation?

"Use the satellites to scramble their sensors! Launch the gunboats! And instruct them to use ion torpedoes only, I want the pilot alive." Maybe he'd disable the fighter to prevent resistance... A Y-Wing was slow, but durable. So the attack would not destroy it.

"Scimitar Squadron ready for battle..." The squadron of the faster and superior gunboats was off...

* * *

 **In orbit around a classified planet, close to the _Death's Head_.**

Ezra was performing a scouting mission on his Y-Wing longprobe. A variant that is normally undetectable by Imperial Star Destroyers, so why are they firing their ion cannons at him?

"This can't be good..." Ezra pressed a button to contact High Command, but they were jamming the signal already...

"Great, just great..." Ezra sighed, and started to fly away from the gravity well of the planet they're orbiting.

But he had made a mistake by doing so. His trajectory was in a completely straight line, making it much easier for the faster Gunboats to catch up... There was no escaping, he had to fight...

Ezra took aim at the gunboats, they were faster and more maneuverable than a Y-Wing, but that didn't matter with the power of the Force... He fired with perfect accuracy, hitting the lead fighter...

But it was no use... the Gunboat's shields became visible as it dispersed the red plasma.

"Karabast! They have shields!" Now he really did have to get out of there. Hera and General Dodonna would need to know about the Empire's new toy...

But it became apparent that he might not be able to live to warn them.

"Oh no..." he said as he saw the streaks of condensed blue ions fly past him...

He did a spin, it was a good trick to distort their aim, but they hit him as he sped towards the edge of the gravity well.

The instant electrical shock from the fried technology was extremely painful, causing a lot of screaming... He was knocked unconscious, meaning that he couldn't react as his fighter was pulled to the _Death's Head_ by the Gunboats...

* * *

 **On the _Death's Head_**

Commander Faro and a medical droid walked into a hangar as the pilots pulled Ezra from the disabled fighter... And the droid immediately got to work, scanning for injuries.

"Sir, my scans show no trace of injury, aside from unconciousness caused by the electrical surge from the ions..."

"Very good... Hmm..." She scrolled through Thrawn's files on the Rebels, all of which she had access to.

"This charming male specimen is the Jedi padawan Ezra Bridger... I want him to be placed in a heavily reinforced cell... With quintuple security if need be. We must never underestimate our enemies..."

"Yes, sir..." The Stormtroopers took all of his weapons and dragged him to the most isolated cell on the Star Destroyer...

Faro pressed a button on her holoprojector, and send a transmission... And it was answered immediately.

"Grand Admiral, I have captured the Jedi by the name of Ezra Bridger and placed him in a cell under quintuple security."

Thrawn's face showed actual delight. He was truly impressed that she did all this without him... But it was soon replaced by the same cold stare he always had... She didn't know why he does it, but was always extremely unsettling.

"Very impressive, Commander... Always be prepared for any sort of Jedi devilry he will use..."

"Yes, Admiral..."

Faro looked at his face as his hologram dissapeared... She could tell how much disgust and anger he held underneath that calm demeanor. He spent weeks contemplating what truly happened on Atollon... But he still could not understand the Force...


	4. An Alternative Solution

"The Emperor has sent an alternative solution..."

-Grand Moff Tarkin

* * *

 **Mustafar...**

As the shuttle landed in the normally imposing dark structure, the outside lit only by lava, Thrawn had considered what Commander Faro had said. The Jedi padawan Ezra Bridger... captured...

He walked onto the giant circular platform in the center of the castle, the only place where Lord Vader has allowed guests... The other areas are heavily guarded by his personal army of Stormtroopers... He could see the blue striping on their armor...

However, his attention shifted to the entrance... A hooded man walked out of the fog-cloaked doorway...

"Welcome, Grand Admiral Thrawn... What do you require?" The man said... in a rapsy voice that was very unsettling to most...

"I bring important news regarding the Jedi..." Thrawn said calmly... He knew Vader was strong with the Force, and that he was Anakin Skywalker. Skywalker used to be a knight of the Jedi Order, and therefore knew what to do with the corruptible boy...

"Very well..." The man acknowledged, and walked back into the fog... Thrawn knew to stay put, as he has met with Lord Vader several times before...

* * *

Vaneé silently walked past the many stormtroopers guarding the facility. They all knew him, but were not to speak with him during times like these, when he rushes to Vader to make a report...

The old man reached the central chamber, punching in a code to open the door... And when the door slid open, he walked inside...

Vader was once again in his rejuvenation chamber, trying to heal his body to remove the need of the painful suit. He hated Mustafar, because it constantly reminded him of his regrets and failures... Such as his ordeal with Padmé and Obi Wan seventeen years ago. Vader's regrets fueled his power in the Dark Side, and made him constantly angry.

Vader's head turned in the bacta to listen to Vaneé.

"My Lord... Grand Admiral Thrawn has arrived..."

Vader was delighted to actually work. It took his mind off of Kenobi, and how this suit was all because of Kenobi's evil...

The bacta began draining... And once fully drained, the chamber fitted his armor... He was ready, and walked out...

* * *

Thrawn turned his head when the door opened once again... But this time Lord Vader was the one walking out of the deep fog. He walked straight to Thrawn, towering over the Chiss warrior...

"Grand Admiral Thrawn..." Vader acknowledged, knowing that Thrawn did not fear him... Something that was most impressive.

"Lord Vader..." Thrawn simply said calmly...

"I have come to report on the status of the Jedi in the Rebellion... Commander Faro has captured the young Ezra Bridger in the Felucia System... Due to your knowledge of the Jedi, I believed it was best to inform you before I report to the Emperor..."

"Very impressive, Admiral... Many officers are unable to fight a Jedi, let alone capture one... You have taught her well..."

"Thank you, Lord Vader... Shall I deliver him to you?"

"That will be most useful, Grand Admiral... I will show him the lies of the Jedi, and attempt to rejuvenate his loyalty to the Emperor... Then we shall use him against the Rebellion."

"Very well..." Thrawn replied very calmly...

"However, you must return to the fleet and fight off any attempt rescue the boy..."

Vader then walked back into the deep fog... And Thrawn knew to return to the shuttle... The _Chimaera_ was waiting...

* * *

 **Base One, Yavin IV**

Hera was worried... Kanan and Zeb have returned from their extended supply run, but Ezra was still gone from his recon mission... He was a week late...

"General Dodonna, I think Red Six's been captured... He hasn't come back from his recon mission, and is a week late."

"I see your concern, General Syndulla... How many of our military secrets does he know?"

"Half of them..." She said worriedly, she knew Thrawn would use them against the Rebellion...

Dodonna looked at her, understanding the situation...

"We'll have to sift through Imperial comm channels before we start a search party..."

He then turned to the comm officer, "Lieutenant, what was Commander Bridger's last reported location?"

"The Felucia system..." He said... The wild deathtrap... If he crashed, he would never survive the wildlife.

"Search through the comm channels for any news on Commander Bridger! We need to retrieve him, or silence him..."

Hera looked shocked at the last few words, "Silence him?"

Dodonna replied, "If we can't save him, we have to stop him from giving up important information..."

Another man, a young one, nodded in acknowledgment... He was a Fulcrum agent... A recruitment agent...

Hera sighed, nodded in understanding, and left the command center... This can't be happening..."

* * *

 ** _Imperial II_ -class Star Destroyer _Chimaera_ , a few days after Thrawn's meeting with Vader.**

Ezra sat in his cell... Staring at the heat shield holding him in the cell...

Karabast, he thought as he examined every inch of the cell... No vents, a deadlock sealed door, and electrodes that can electrocute him at any time...

"I see that you've found no way of escape... Your face betrays you..." Thrawn said calmly, towering over the boy from the other side of the shield.

"Wait, how?!" Ezra was surprised... He was sure he made his face look emotionless...

"The eyes of a Chiss can detected infrared light... I can see the temperature of the blood in your face... The apparent rise in temperature indicates surprise... The type laced with fear..."

"You don't know anything..." Ezra said with apprehension... He tried to hide what his face showed... But it was no use...

"Oh, I've studied all information I have on you... I am sure you remember what I said to General Syndulla..."

Karabast, he knew about that too... "To defeat an enemy, you must know them?"

"Well that is correct, Padawan Bridger... I studied all data on your ships, your commanders, and you... Then I used it to cripple your fleet on Atollon, and you must assume I am once again gathering information..."

"You won't get any more info from me!" Ezra yelled... Now he was really angry...

"Perhaps I will not, but I am sure Lord Vader will glean it from you easily..." Thrawn said in a terrifyingly calm tone...

Ezra resorted to powers he hasn't used since his time learning from the Sith Holocron... He needed to get out before Vader arrived... And frantically he unconsciously began to clamp on Thrawn's throat with the Force...

"Turn... on... the... electrodes...!" Thrawn said frantically, choking...

Faro set the electrodes to max... And the sudden jolt of electricity caused Ezra to scream in pain, releasing Thrawn...

Faro then turned off the device... Leaving a Thrawn gasping for air and an Ezra that's been temporarily immobilized, but still concious...

"Well, Padawan Bridger... Lord Vader will deal with your Jedi devilry..." Thrawn said, his face and tone showing the extremely rare fear and anger...

Thrawn and Faro left the isolated cell... Leaving two incorruptible droids to guard the facility... Ezra was now left alone... In an Imperial Star Destroyer at a location he's not familiar with.

"Commander, go to the _Death's Head_ to continue the operation... I must prepare for Lord Vader's arrival..."


	5. Darkness and Suspicion

"On no fewer than four occasions I told the Emperor that I would not waste his troops and ships attacking an enemy which I was not yet prepared to defeat." -Grand Admiral Thrawn

* * *

 **The Felucia system...**

The light freighter zoomed past the apparently deserted system... No Imperial ship was in sight... But there was a strange satellite in the space between gravity wells.

"Opening comm channel..." Hera tapped at the buttons, the noise faintly echoing throughout the room... The room was then cloaked in the bright light of the holoprojector.

"General Syndulla, what is your report?" General Dodonna said, looking at them sternly...

"We've located a satellite in the Felucia system... It seems to be the long range scanners that are preventing stealth missions..." Hera replied, weary of any Imperial ships that may be on their way...

"Do your best to destroy it, it might free the sector for safe passage." Dodonna was strict in his wording, but his tone had an air of desperation... They needed to destroy the satellites scattered throughout this oversector if Base One's location is to remain a secret.

"Understood..." Hera said as the hologram before her dissapeared... The next moment, she turned to Kanan...

"Well, get ready love... We might have a lot of Imperials on our tail..." Hera remarked, trying to mask any fear in her voice...

"Oh this'll be fun..." Kanan snarkily replied, still retaining a sense of humor...

The Ghost zoomed towards the satellite in a direct trajectory... Hera took aim at the satellite, and fired...

The satellite blew up spectacularly, but not before it set up a state of alarm... The signal was sent directly to the fleet of origin...

"We have company!" Hera said as an _Imperial I_ -class Star Destroyer left hyperspace...

"Hail the Rebel ship!" Commander Faro barked to the command crew. More Rebels have fallen into the trap. Thrawn and Lord Vader would be pleased...

"This is Commander Varyn Faro of the Star Destroyer _Death's Head_... Surrender or be destroyed..." The voice of Faro barked into the Ghost's speakers.

Hera's reply is quick, and obviously defiant... "Never..."

Faro turned to the Captain, barking an immediate order... "Deploy the Gunboats..."

The Ghost's sensors immediately detected the heavy fighter/bombers. Hera remarked, "This can't be good..."

Hera sent the Ghost towards the edge of Felucia's gravity well, at full speed. The ions roaring out of the thrusters at max power...

The Gunboats were slower than basic TIE/LN Starfighters, and despite their heavy armaments were unable to catch up... Faro stared at the transparisteel viewport as the Ghost entered hyperspace...

"Take us to the rendezvous point, we will meet with Grand Admiral Thrawn..." Faro said as she walked down the central pathway of the bridge...

On the Ghost, Hera turned on the holoprojector, which showed an image of General Dodonna and Lieutenant Kallus...

"General Syndulla, what do you need?" Dodonna asked sincerely... Briefly glancing at a worried Kallus.

"General, we've destroyed the sensors... But we encountered some sort of new Imperial fighter... Not a TIE... It looked like a small Imperial shuttle armed with missile launchers..."

" _Alpha_ -class Xg1 Star Wings..." Kallus replied, getting the immediate attention of the two Generals... "Fighter bombers armed with ion cannons, warhead launchers, and a built-in tractor beam. They're heavily shielded..."

"The ship launching them was the Star Destroyer _Death's Head_..." Hera said, "The same one reported to be in the system when Ezra dissapeared..."

Kallus replied, worriedly... "Then these 'Gunboats' might be what disabled or destroyed Bridger's Y-Wing longprobe... Thrawn must be using them in as strike craft to guard the sensors..."

"Whatever they are, we need to find a way to defeat them... And locate Commander Bridger..." Dodonna replied, now in a worried and slightly desperate tone. Thrawn's toys continue to pose bigger and bigger threats to the survival of the Rebellion.

* * *

 ** _Imperial II_** **-class Star Destroyer Chimaera, the Mustafar System.**

"Go and make peace in the Empire..." Palpatine said, ending the transmission.

"Thank you, your majesty..." Thrawn replied politely.

Thrawn pressed a set of buttons, opening the door to the elite comm chamber. His report was complete, and he stood up from his kneeling position... Vader would be arriving soon...

"T-573, report on the status of our special guest..." Thrawn said into his comlink...

"He is still alive, and has not tried anything to escape..." The restored T-series Tactical Droid replied... Thrawn had caught on to Bridger's Jedi Devilry. The use of Separatist Droids was far more efficient than Stormtroopers, due to their insusceptibility to mind tricks. And they weren't alive, so he couldn't choke them...

"Inform him that Lord Vader will be arriving shortly... Lord Vader has recommended that he be in a state of crippling fear or panic. It would increase the effectiveness of Vader's powers..."

"Roger roger..." The droid replied...

Ezra heard the droid's obedient phrase, still wondering who "Roger" was... But his face stiffened when the droid and its B2 Super Battle Droid escort walked towards the shield...

"Lord Vader will be arriving shortly, prisoner..."

The words immediately cleared his mind of all distractions, and made it focus on his experiences with the Dark Lord... When he killed Ahsoka, when he destroyed his old lightsaber, and when he destroyed the original Phoenix Home... There was no escaping now, and the droid knew it.

"Ha ha... haha..." The droid laughed in his humorless tone, adding insult to injury.

* * *

Ezra sat in his cell, waiting for the right moment to escape. The heat shield filled the otherwise dark cell with a faint green light. The metal was cold, and so was the Force... But the reasoning behind it wasn't very clear...

The tactical droid broke the silence as it entered the dark isolation block, "The Admiral has informed me that Lord Vader's shuttle is arriving from his castle on Mustafar..."

Ezra finally knew the truth in the sayings about Mustafar... Mustafar was where Jedi went to die... Because the ultimate Jedi killer, Darth Vader, lives there... And the glimpses of huge lava seas from the Rebellion's rescue mission to save Kanan showed how dark and evil the place was...

The Tactical Droid left the room as Ezra began to stir. The time was now... Ezra began to reach out with the Force...

The B1 and B2 Battle Droids reacted too late as Ezra shut off the shield.

"Oh no!"

"He's getting out!"

"Stun him!" They said randomly as they took aim.

But Ezra, desperate to escape, pulled his lightsaber to his hand, the bright green blade extending and tearing the heads off several B1s.

The droids started firing, and Ezra's view of time slowed to a point in which he can deflect each shot directly at the droids...

The droids, like always, never stood a chance against Jedi in such small numbers... And those that remained were crushed by Ezra, with the sheer power of his Force grip... The Force Crush power...

Ezra glanced at them briefly, before running to the locked blast doors... He felt so cold, like the Darkness was smothering him in a tight embrace...

He creeped towards the door... Silently listening for any Imperial troops nearby... He'd finally escaped...

But a crimson blade began to cut a huge hole through the doors!

"KARABAST!" Ezra yelled, he was so close to actually escaping... But Vader was here...

The cold metal suddenly became excruciatingly hot, and melted before Vader's blade of doom... When he was complete, Vader pushed the sliced metal to the back wall, where Ezra's cell was...

The terrifying sound of Vader's breathing forced itself into the giant room... And soon Vader himself arrived, followed by a shocked Thrawn and Faro... Thrawn had again faced another Force ability he was not prepared for, or Jedi Devilry, as he calls it.

"The Force is strong with you, Ezra Bridger... But you will never become a true Knight of the Jedi..." Vader said threateningly... He stood rigid, his lightsaber melting a part of the durasteel floor...

"I'll never join you!" Ezra yelled loudly, seething with fear, anger, and hate...

"Then you will suffer!" Vader coldly replied...

Ezra leaped at Vader with the acrobatic abilities of Form IV, Ataru, and moved his lightsaber to hit Vader's arm... He was attempting to battle Vader tactically, but he was being too aggressive... A detail Thrawn easily saw as he and Faro observed the battle... Perhaps he can be useful with such a mind... if his attitude was somehow altered to reduce sheer aggression...

Vader swiftly outmaneuvered Ezra, hitting the green saber with such a brute force that the boy was knocked into a wall... From that, Thrawn correctly deduced that Vader knew every trick the Jedi had with their set forms and styles through sheer experience. The Emperor himself had said that Vader had singlehandedly killed all of the strongest Jedi... And it showed.

Vader did not immediately disarm the child, intending to convey the lack of hope he had in the situation... The child tried several more strikes, this time less aggressive... All of his attempts failed...

Ezra's sheer anger turned into crippling fear in a matter of seconds... He thought he became strong enough to beat Vader... He had learned so much, but nothing was enough... Even Maul said on Malachor that he was no match for the Emperor's personal enforcer... But he knew that he would die if he surrendered, or so he thought.

"You have known the power of the Dark Side from the holocron... However, you are afraid to use it... That will soon change..." The cold, deep, mechanical voice boomed...

Vader had enough fun... He extended his arm, placing his signature death grip on the boy... And flinging him onto a wall.

He released Ezra when the boy fell unconcious... His escape attempt had failed...

"The Force is something that cannot be prepared for..." Vader said to Thrawn, turning to face him.

"The power of the individual Jedi gives them an unpredictable set of abilities... However, I am impressived by your ability to take several of them into account..."

"Yes, my Lord... I developed countermeasures to the ones he used on the Stormtroopers by making use of these now destroyed droids..."

"Most impressive... The boy is volatile... It may be possible to convert him to our cause... Therefore, we must take him to Coruscant..." The Dark Lord said...

"Very well..." The Chiss replied, walking back to the bridge.

Vader looked upon the boy, as several Stormtroopers from his castle dragged the unconscious child into his cell... And placed a set of newly developed KX-series Imperial Enforcer Droids to replace the destroyed Separatist Battle Droids... And the Tactical Droid returned to its post.

* * *

Notes:

\- My headcanon is that the Death's Head is the Imperial Star Destroyer that showed up at the end of _Iron Squadron_.

\- Thrawn hates the Force, because it's unbelievably hard to predict.

\- The Mon Calamari are still remaking their cruisers into warships, so all the Rebellion has is a few Nebulon B's, a bunch of corvettes, and fighters.

\- Pryce will stay on Lothal, because the events of this fanfic take place outside of her jurisdiction.

-Commander Varyn Faro is a character from the new Thrawn novel.


	6. The Tarkin Initiative

**War is inevitable...**

* * *

 **Deep Space, in the Abrion sector... Near the Scarif System.**

(Try to imagine the Imperial Suite playing at the start)

The _Chimaera_ , the _Devastator_ , and the Seventh Fleet roared through the massive open space...

But within seconds their massive 1600 meter long hulls were blackened by a massive shadow... Commander Faro stood, staring out of the viewport in awe of the sight...

To her right, Ezra was kneeling down on the cold metal floor of the Star Destroyer, restrained... He was unable to escape, due to Vader's thoroughness on security... To his left, stood the massive Death Troopers, the same two that survived Atollon...

They were immune to mind tricks of Ezra's power level, and had their weapons ready to shoot the boy dead if needed... But the terror factor of the object in front of them was enough to stop him for quite some time...

In front of the fleet stood the massive spherical object that was the Empire's ultimate weapon... **The Death Star...** It had a massive hole on the northern hemisphere, where the weapon itself is supposed to be placed.

Thrawn and Vader, technical equals in rank, both stood next to the viewport... staring out of the transparisteel windows.

They were not impressed...

Vader strongly believed that the Death Star was truly insignificant next to the power of the Force... The ancient Sith texts, such as Sith holocrons, had documents thoroughly describing many of the Sith Order's more arcane powers... One of which was a perfect match with Thrawn's description of the creature on Atollon, the Bendu...

On the other hand, Thrawn believed that the Death Star was a complete waste... It would be more useful to use all of the materials, all of the doonium he worked to guard from the late Nightswan, to build a much larger, improved fleet. There was only one Death Star, and from its raw materials could've been used to make tens of thousands of warships...

The two elite commanders of the Empire were specifically instructed by the Emperor himself to work under Grand Moff Tarkin to protect the station... The Grand Moff did not have need of the two in the past, but has called every member of the Tarkin Initiative for an important meeting...

"Grand Admiral, Lord Vader... Our shuttle is ready..." Faro said, breaking the deep, unsettling silence...

"Place the prisoner in his special cell... The Royal Guards must stop any escape..." Vader said in his cold, mechanized voice... Followed by his signature heavy breathing.

The Royal Guards proceded to drag Ezra away... Faro stood at the viewpoint, now in command while Thrawn and Vader march to the shuttle.

* * *

When they finally arrived, the others were already in a heated discussion... But the arguing stopped when Vader entered the room.

There was Tarkin, Director Orson Callan Krennic, High General Casio Tagge, High Admiral Conan Antonio Motti, Grand Admiral Denetrius Zaarin, Chief Moradmin Bast, Chief Siward Kast, Director Armand Isard, and the very familiar face of Colonel Wullf Yularen...

"Welcome gentlemen, take a seat if you'd like..." Tarkin said, faking politeness.

Thrawn took his seat, but Vader did not. At every one of these meetings, Vader would hover around the seats menacingly. It was a very noticeable habit of Vader to inspire terror in his associates. Some of the few who did not fear him, such as Tarkin and Thrawn himself, had his complete respect.

"I have authorized production of the T65 X-Wings on the facility on Lothal... Once complete, the Death Star's complement of TIE/LN Space Superiority Starfighters will be be replaced by these heavier fighters. And the TIE/IN Interceptors will be phased out in favor of the TIE/D Defender." Grand Admiral Zaarin said, triumphantly. Thrawn and Tarkin were extremely wary of Zaarin. He not only despised Imperial doctrine of quantity over quality, but had a clear hunger for power. It was only a matter of time until he uses the TIE Defenders he's built in his factory, in deep space, to fight the Empire in an effort to gain the Imperial throne...

"I don't see the necessity of such an action. It would take millions of credits to replace all the fighters in this battlestation... A battlestation that is impenetrable to any Rebel attack." Motti gloated, he had faith in the Death Star... Too much faith.

"It is entirely possible that the Rebels will find a blind spot in our defenses! What I have observed is that this station utterly annihilates enemy capital ships. But the turbolasers are ineffective against Rebel starfighters!" Zaarin argued, clearly angered by Motti's statement.

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Tarkin yelled, "This bickering is pointless..."

"I am currently in the process of torturing the Rebel prisoner... A young Jedi that was part of the Lothal insurgency... If I can turn him to our cause, he may provide us with important information..." Lord Vader said... Again followed by his mechanical breathing.

"Our interrogation indicates that he does not know the exact coordinates of the main Rebel Base... That is information withheld from him, but we have an idea on current Rebel tactics..." Thrawn said, "They use single frigates to deploy strike craft and recon units... This means that their forces are spread thin due to the need for a carrier for their main attack force: the starfighters..." He continued, showing a hologram of the docking pylons of a EF76 Nebulon-B Frigate...

"Those designs are Imperial ships... They're manufactured by Kuat Drive Yards." Motti replied... "But we've heard reports of several dozen being stolen from Outer Rim outposts."

"Exactly, Admiral Motti... Due to the ships being our design, we know their weaknesses..." He then pointed at the central area of the ship, saying, "If this connecting spar is destroyed, the ship's atmosphere will be vented... The entire crew will be sucked into the vacuum of space..."

The others looked at Thrawn with understanding, seeing his logic once explained.

"But a very concerning factor is their widespread use of Incom designs, the same company that designed the X-Wings fighters Zaarin plans to use... The X-Wing is designed as a successor to the earlier Z-95 Headhunter... The Headhunter is the Rebellion's most ubiquitous starfighter, used by the largest Rebel cells... It is entirely possible that they plan on obtaining these fighters from the Incom scientists on Lothal..." Thrawn explained, his face showing no readable emotion...

"I will inform Governor Pryce of the possible Rebel attack..." Tarkin spoke up, the information presented to him sufficient to take action... "We must not let them gain a technological edge... Director Krennic, take care of your facility on Lothal, Lord Vader and Admiral Thrawn will assist you..."

Krennic looked at Tarkin, hiding anger. He thought he was in command, due to his position as Director of the Advanced Research Division of the Imperila Military... But this was the Tarkin Initiative after all...

Tarkin turned to look at the other commanders, who simply listened while the Admirals discussed the Rebellion, then turned back to Thrawn, Motti, and Zaarin...

"You are dismissed... We will meet again when there is important news about the Rebellion or this battlestation..."

They all stood up and left, except for Vader, Thrawn, and Tarkin... They sat down as they sent a transmission to Coruscant...

(Cue the Imperial suite again.)

* * *

 **The** ** _Imperial II_** **-class Star Destroyer,** ** _Chimaera_** **.**

Ezra was quickly losing hope... During the earlier mission to rescue Saw Gerrera on Geonosis, they thought that Klik-Klak's double circle was the gas canisters used to exterminate the Geonosians...

But they had it all wrong...

It was this... weapon the Empire was building... An indestructible battlestation with what seemed to be a slot for a massive gun... One that might destroy planets...

There was no way the Rebellion could beat that. And the Empire would surely use it on the Rebels.

But his face showed shock when he realized why Geonosis was so empty... The Geonosians built the station... Well, most of it. And when they finished, the Empire exterminated the population of Geonosis to get rid of any witnesses... Which means that they might do the same to him!

* * *

 **Notes:**

\- Thrawn is part of the Tarkin Initiative due to his command over a squad of Death Troopers. They're available only to the highest ranking Tarkin Initiative officers. This means that Thrawn is involved in the creation or protection of the Death Star.

\- Nothing good is in store for Blueberry

* * *

Please post your reviews! Suggestions are welcome!


	7. Rebellions are Built on Hope

"We are Rebels, fighting for the people, fighting for you. I'm not that old, but I remember a time when things were better on Lothal. Maybe not great, but not like this... See what the Empire has done to your lives, your families, and your freedom? It's only going to get worse, unless we stand up and fight back. It won't be easy... There will be loss and sacrifice, but we can't back down now just because we are afraid. That's when we need to stand the tallest. That's what my parents taught me. That's what my new family helped me remember... So stand up together because that's when we're strongest—as one!"

-Ezra Bridger

* * *

 **The Roche Asteroid field.**

The secret shipyard in the Roche Asteroids was a wonderful sight of collaboration between normally competitive companies. The most notable of which are extremely important for the Alliance's survival.

The Mon Calamari shipyards have made a base in the asteroid field... It was a very risky move, but they were desperate to fight. During Mon Mothma's original declaration of Rebellion on Dantooine, they already had a starship in the Rebellion's fleet.

But this specific cruiser, the MC80 Luxury Starliner _Liberty_ , was totally unarmed at the time. It was actually sent to represent the Mon Calamari's involvement in the newly declared Galactic Civil War... But only now will the Mon Calamari truly join the fight.

Using turbolaser batteries provided to them by the Rebellion, the many Mon Calamari luxury starliners that have defected from the Empire saw heavy modification... But the limited resources made it difficult to complete them.

And now their first fully dedicated warship was complete, the MC75 _Profundity_ -type Heavy Cruiser... The _Profundity_...

The cruised used to be the base of operations for Raddus's planetary defense force... Some Mon Calamari buildings were actually starships. The City Hall of Nystullum was one of these... Now it is called _Profunity_ , and commanded by its former mayor.

It will serve as the flagship for the Rebellion's new fleet of Assault Frigates Mark 1's, EF76 Nebulon-B Escort Frigates, and as a heavy cruiser carrier for the most elite fighter squadrons... Led by Jon 'Dutch' Vander, Garven Dreis, General Antoc Merrick, and General Hera Syndulla...

The newly appointed Admiral Raddus stepped into his command chair, flanked by his two assistants. Raddus always had a desire to defend his people from outside threats... But the city of Nystullum never took part in the Battle of Mon Cala against the Confedaracy of Independent Systems and their Quarren neighbors. All the fighting was in the capitol... But this was the chance for all of them to make a bigger difference than some desk work... He knew that war was inevitable, and he wanted to fight.

"This is Admiral Raddus, my ship is finally ready for battle!" Raddus announced triumphantly. His face lit up when he heard cheers on the comm channel... They were almost ready...

Hera and one of the Mon Calamari commanders, Admiral Gial Ackbar, oversaw the manufacturing of a new type of starfighter created by the late Quarrie. The old Mon Calamari designed the fighter B6, the Blade Wing... The prototype for the A/SF-01 _B-Wing_ Starfighter...

Ackbar was very good friends with Quarrie, as he served under the old Calamari in the Mon Cala Defense Force. And it was Quarrie who suggested the Alliance used the Roche system, specifically the asteroid belt beyond the planet Shantipole, which was his new home. Quarrie worked closely with the Verpine, the native species of Shantipole, to design B6.

The Verpine are some of the best starfighter designers in the galaxy. They designed the hugely successful V-19 Torrent starfighter... Which was phased out later on due to subtle Republic anti-alienism. And now they all work to fulfill his dying wish... To make the Blade Wing soar...

It was all wonderful for Hera... But it wasn't the same without Ezra... It was Ezra who inspired all of them to fight at all... The message he sent from Lothal went as far as Fresia in the Core Worlds, the headquarters of the Incom Corporation... And it obviously reached Mon Cala, which was only an hour-long jump away from Lothal.

She wanted to see him look at the results of his inspiring speech to the Galaxy... His call to action... But she couldn't... All she could do now is stare at the viewport for a moment, and move on...


	8. Empire Day

"Then you will die braver than most..."

-Darth Vader, to Ezra Bridger

* * *

 **The Death Star! Near the Scarif system, in the Abrion sector.**

"Prepare the broadcast..." Tarkin ordered, two Stormtroopers standing at his side...

They watched as the comm officer quickly pressed a set of glowing buttons... They were going to broadcast their annual Empire Day event... This time it is the execution of Ezra Bridger...

Vader and Thrawn watched closely, monitoring the child in the case of any aggressive behavior... There was nothing...

"Governor Tarkin, we're ready... you may begin..." The officer said quickly... They all watched as the Grand Moff began to speak...

"Greetings, loyal citizens of the Empire... And any Rebels watching this broadcast... It is Empire Day, the very day our Emperor Sheev Palpatine declared his mission to bring order!" Tarkin then started to frown...

"And this Empire Day we have a very special message for the Rebellion... Today we will make an example of a very notable member of the Rebel scum..."

The camera turned to a restrained Ezra Bridger, scowling at the floor... He knew what was going to happen next...

"This simple child is Ezra Bridger, a padawan of the Jedi Order. As you know, the Jedi have been a nuisance to the Empire since their initial Rebellion against the Republic... The Emperor plans to use this Jedi criminal to send a message to all surviving Jedi..." Tarkin said, triumphantly while standing above the boy...

Ezra's been imprisoned for several weeks, and he's started to grow back his long hair due to all the time in a cell... On the outside, he looked incredibly anrgy at what his fate was, but on the inside he was intrigued... What did the Jedi do that led to the rise of the Empire? He knew that they fought in the Clone Wars against the Droid Army, but neither he nor Kanan knew what the Jedi Rebellion was...

"Anyone who is willing to fight the Empire as a terrorist will be silenced for their senseless violence... Their treason... This boy has spoken out against us in that Rebel HoloNet broadcast less than three years ago, and has killed innocents to make his ultimatum clear... But I will prove to you that soon we will crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke... Their false hopes will be made clear today..."

Ezra's thoughts sped up when Tarkin started speaking again. Maybe he'd never know what the Jedi did... Or who led it... His life flashed before his eyes... His memories of his old life as a street rat were very brief. That didn't matter to him... To him, he was proud of the Rebellion, and very glad that he had the privilege to fight back just as his parents did... But most of all, it was meeting his new family... Hera, Zeb, Kanan, Chopper... But most of all Sabine... He wasn't completely sure what to think of her now, but he knew for a fact that it was positive for him... He didn't want to know about their reactions to his death... And that brought a tear to his eye...

The camera cut away from Ezra to Tarkin making a hand gesture... The two Stormtroopers raised their E-11 blaster rifles, taking aim. Just as the tear hit the cold metal floor... The sound of blaster shots can be heard as they cut off the broadcast.

* * *

 **Base One, Yavin IV...**

Hera, Kanan, Zeb, and Chopper looked at the hologram in disbelief... This could not be real... But it seemed most likely that it was...

They had no choice but to suppress their sadness in the presence of superiors... The Senators and Mon Mothma could see it...

"I'm sorry for your loss... I simply wish that there was more I could do..." Mon Mothma said to them in her gentle voice...

"He died a martyr for freedom... And we will fight in his honor..." She said...

The five of them turned as Senator Bail Organa and his aide, Leia, arrived...

"We will do everything we can to ensure that your friend did not die in vain... The Empire is growing stronger and more alert, and we need to be prepared to fight for the message of freedom he had sent to all of us... We stand the strongest together—as one..." Bail said, his charisma urging all of them to fight for the fallen in the war against the Empire.

Ezra Bridger died at the age of eighteen, on his birthday, and died not only as a true adult... But as a martyr for the Rebellion's fight for freedom...

Or so they thought.


	9. Death Star Departure

"Things are getting worse... Just as they did when I was your age..."

-Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight...

* * *

 **The Death Star... In the Abrion sector.**

Ezra looked up from his gaze at the cold, hard durasteel floor... Obviously very confused. The Stormtroopers had missed their target completely, and he sensed that it was done intentionally... What were they doing? Or should he say: What was Vader doing? Thrawn obviously didn't really care about Vader's plan, but had little choice due to his status. And Tarkin... The Grand Moff looked at him with his cold stare... This time much scarier than usual.

"Lord Vader, you are now free to present him to the Emperor..." The cold-hearted Imperial said calmly... Ezra knew that by doing letting Vader complete his plan he wouldn't be a problem to Tarkin anymore... Especially now that everyone thought he was dead... The Emperor wanted to see him? Why? Whatever it was... it wasn't good.

The stormtroopers dragged Ezra through the miles of turbolifts and hallways leading to the hangar, followed closely by Vader. During the ordeal, Ezra repeatedly tried reaching out to Kanan for help... But there was nothing... To the others, he truly was dead. Vader had severed his connect with Kanan by persuading Tarkin to 'execute' him.

The Stormtroopers and Vader stopped when they entered the _Lambda_ -class shuttle... "Your assistance is no longer necessary. You may return to your posts..." Vader replied in his booming, mechanical, unchanging voice...

"Yes, my Lord..." The Stormtroopers said, leaving the area to return to their duties of escorting Grand Moff Tarkin. Unlike Director Krennic, Tarkin did not need Death Troopers to assert his dominance. And he didn't need them in battle due to his position being political, not military... No matter how effective they were, Tarkin would not use them.

"Now... I am taking you to Coruscant to present you to my master... There he will tell you the truth about the Jedi..." Vader said to Ezra, who sat in the shuttle in handcuffs... There was no way for the boy to attack, because Vader was ready for any retaliation. In addition, the shuttle was guarded by Royal Guards... And its TIE escort consisting of special TIE Interceptors... Piloted by Royal Guards.

The shuttle went for several minutes... Flying through empty space until it entered the hangar of the _Devastator_... Which had already isolated itself from the Seventh Fleet for the jump to Coruscant...

The Royal Guards dragged the boy into the destroyer's solitary confinement... And Vader went to the bridge... Where he was greeted by another of the Emperor's best pawns... Commodore Gallius Rax... Who Vader knew would be instrumental in the Contingency, a plan that would be carried out should the Emperor die...

"Commodore Rax, I assume the Emperor has already informed you of our new destination?" Vader said, once again his voice unmoving and intimidating... But not to Rax.

"Yes, my Lord... I reget that I must also inform you that my time on the Devastator is at an end... The Emperor is promoting me to Vice Admiral, and I will be next stationed on the _Praetor II_ -class Battlecruiser _Intimidator_ , to protect Jakku and the Observatory." Rax calmly said... Vader's breathing and voice did not scare him. Not much could... The Emperor himself regards him as a 'friend' after all.

"Congratulations, Commodore. I hope your replacement will be of similar competence to you..." Vader replied, his tone unchanging... But his words are indicating respect...

Rax walked out of the bridge as the _Devastator_ entered hyperspace... And Vader simply stood and stared through the transparisteel at the stars turning into long streaks of light.

* * *

This is honestly my shortest chapter yet. And I need some ideas for the theft of the X-Wings and Ezra's ordeal on Coruscant.


	10. Return to Lothal

"I will not fail..."

-Military Director Orson Callan Krennic

* * *

 **Lothal...**

The old _Delta_ -class T-3c Shuttle roared its loud ionic engines as it quickly passed through most of the system. There was little left of Thrawn's blockade over the planet, save for several _Venator_ -class and _Victory_ -class Star Destroyers, and one ISD. The more advanced ships were pulled out of the system to place Thrawn's special sensor nodes throughout the Outer Rim.

"This is Commander Lyste... Governor Pryce has been informed of your arrival, Director Krennic." The voice of Lyste said into the comm channel. The young officer was removed from prison and promoted by Thrawn for his extreme loyalty. But Thrawn also taught him to be less trusting of his colleagues, in the case of yet another infiltration...

The shuttle roared past the fleet of Imperial Attack Cruisers, and flew its way through the atmosphere to the Capitol of the Lothal sector. All the _Imperial_ -class Star Destroyers that usually patrolled the area were replaced with _Venator_ -class Star Destroyers and _Acclamator II_ -class Assault Ships.

While it would be easier to break the blockade, the increased number of ground troops has proven problematic for Ryder Azadi's rebels. The Lothal and Kuat factories have started production on a new walker based off of the AT-DP, but served a far more offensive combat role... The All Terrain Scout Transport, or AT-ST for short. All the street patrols had their AT-DPs replaced with AT-STs, and their concussion grenade launchers had made them a far more fearsome threat than the AT-DPs they normally fought. Krennic's shuttle flew past the AT-STs below, and quickly approached the Lothal Senate Building.

The shuttle extended its landing gear, venting out steam as the ramp lowered... Director Krennic and his Death Trooper squad marched out into the hangar, greeted by Pryce and Stormtroopers tasked with guarding the building. The troopers took the ceremonial positions that were used when a high ranking Imperial arrived. He loved the sight, and truly felt powerful. His position granted him limited power over the regional Governor, and they both knew it... Krennic would let that feeling sink in as he reached Pryce, feeling his cape fly from the speed of his march.

"Welcome, Director... Governor Tarkin informed me of your arrival. What brings you to Lothal?" Pryce said. She was not informed of the reasoning behind the Military Director's visit.

"The Incom Corporation... The Rebellion is planning to steal their new prototypes from the factory." Krennic said, making sure his voice had a sense of urgency.

"The X-Wings?" She said, surprised by his statement... She had never seen the Rebellion's use of the Z-95 Headhunter, due to Phoenix Squadron making exclusive use of the RZ1 A-Wing Interceptor.

"Yes, Governor... I want a full detachment sent to protect the facility. Charge the turbolaser towers, deploy the Armored Division, and if you are able... Deploy our new tank models as soon as possible." Krennic quickly said. He needed to work quickly if he is to build a strong defense before the Rebels inevitably arrive.

"I'll do whatever I can..." The Governor sternly said... A frown forming on her face because of the news...

The Governor and her new Ministers watched as the Director and his guards marched to the main commercial factory.

* * *

 **Elsewhere on Lothal...**

The newly promoted Captain Kallus and his detachment flew past the Imperial Bloackade in their U-Wing, using the clearance codes he obtained to get past the prying eyes of the Empire... He was given a rendezvous point in the mountain range near the main cities.

The pod-shaped mountains became visible, and it became clear to him that this area is too steep for any Imperial vehicle to use. And the fog cover made it impossibke for any TIE to find them... A masterful move on Azadi's part.

General Draven had informed the Captain that the Rebellion's main Fulcrum recruitment agent had gone ahead of him to prepare the Lothal cell for battle...

"Lothal cell, this is Captain Kallus... Clearance codes 1-2-1-8-1-5-6..." Kallus said into the comm channel.

"Your codes check out... You may land..." The voice of Ryder Azadi boomed into the comm... Kallus smiled... Back in his time as Fulcum he'd never thought that voice would make him so delighted. But now it did...

The U-Wing's broad wings folded into landing/hyperspace configuration... And the landing gear extended as the gunship touched the grassy ground... As Kallus stepped out of the U-Wing with his squad, he was greeted by Azadi... And a man with a dark brown jacket... And the badge of a Rebel Intelligence officer.

"I am Captain Cassian Andor, Fulcrum Recruitment Agent..." The man said, introducing himself first...

"Well then... It's time to work..." Kallus said to the Fulcrum Agent... His face lighting up with determination.


	11. Lair of Evil

"The Jedi Rebellion has been foiled..."

-Chancellor Sheev Palpatine

* * *

 **Coruscant...**

Vader's _Lambda_ -class T-4a Shuttle soared through the smog-filled skies of Coruscant... Falling behind an endless line of similar _Lambda_ -class Shuttles heading towards the Executive Sector. Nearby, there were millions of civilian transports and Imperial EF76 Nebulon-B Escort Frigates guarding them, due to basic Imperial civilian transport procedure.

The tall buildings are massive, the night sky decorating every inch of the planet in extremely bright lights. On the surface of Coruscant, there is no such thing as night... Only a transition in the type of light that smothers the entire city planet... The sight was beautiful to Ezra... He stared out the viewport, trying to look at the scenic view and take his thoughts off his destination...

The Lambda broke from the line, setting its path straight to the Imperial Palace...

"Course set for Imperial Palace..." One of the pilots said...

"One of the last standing legacies of the Jedi... The Jedi Temple itself... Now serving as the home for the Empire's greatest peacemakers..." Vader said directly to Ezra, using his simple voice as intimidation...

"What happened to the Jedi in it?" Ezra said curiously... Kanan would never speak of the fall of the Jedi... It was his greatest demon...

"The Jedi started a Rebellion against the Republic, and joined the side of the losing Separatist Alliance in the final weeks of the Clone Wars... They attempted to assassinate the Chancellor... Despite the act of killing being the greatest sin for the Jedi... I saw how evil the Jedi have become... Killing our only chance at true peace... The Emperor sent me to lead the 501st Legion into a final battle to end the war... Many Jedi and Clones died in a single day... Peace never came to the crumbling Republic... And the Chancellor converted the Republic into the Empire... And was appointed Emperor of the Free World." Vader said... Filling the story of the Empire's rise with misinformation and lies... Everything was from the point of view of an average Imperial... The entire story was done as ordered by Emperor Sheev Palpatine, to give Ezra doubts about his own position in the Rebellion.

"But the Empire isn't free... It opresses its people and rules through fear..." Ezra argued... He saw the Empire's aggression in the Outer Rim.

"Your Rebellion destroyed the Empire's last hope of peace... It has created a feeling of anti-alien and anti-Outer Rim sentiment... Grand Admiral Thrawn is lucky the Emperor placed him in the Imperial Navy, or he would've ended up a slave to a corrupt Senate..." Vader said angrily... He wanted to forget his painful past... And the friends he betrayed...

The shuttle finally reached the landing pad next to the Palace Precinct... Docked in the precinct is an _Imperial_ -class Star Destroyer, likely belonging to one of the Emperor's associates. The Royal Guards lined up to escort Vader and Ezra to the Emperor...

* * *

 **The Imperial Palace...**

After several hours of walking through the vast hallways of the Palace... They finally reached the main chamber, in the former Hall of Knighthood in the center tower of the former Jedi Temple...

As the giant doors of the hall opened... They saw a massive pedestal in the far back of the room...

The two stood silently as the guards walked to the pedestal... A lift was in the center of the platform... Carrying the Emperor on his throne... Ezra suddenly felt colder than ice...

They walked to the base of the platform as Sheev Palpatine's chair turned to face them...

"Lord Vader... Is this the young Jedi that has killed so many innocents?" Palpatine said, sounding bored... unimpressed... and weary...

"Yes, master... He is the padawan from the Lothal system..." Vader replied... Breathing with his life support.

"Interesting... What are your thoughts on the Empire, child?" Palpatine said calmly... "Please tell us your testimony..."

"The Empire's a force that opresses the innocent... They will do anything to rule through fear... No one is safe from your reach..." Ezra bravely said, thinking that he has nothing left to lose... Sheev is not amused, but he remains calm.

"You look at the Empire through the tainted lens of the Rebellion... The Empire's oppression is a failing attempt to root out insurgents... Perhaps you should look at a planet without an insurgency..." Palpatine says, still in his calm voice... "Perhaps you would like to see the work of the Jedi... The Jedi that betrayed their Sith allies to gain power over the Senate..."

Palpatine pressed a button... Projecting a hologram of Yoda entering the Emperor's office... Effortlessly knock out the guards... And attack Palpatine...

Ezra was shocked... Master Yoda was the wise leader of the Jedi Order... And here he is... attempting to kill an old man he worked with for years...

"I... I..." He mumbled... No other word left his mouth as the footage played...

Palpatine smiled... The boy was much easier to influence than he thought... It would only be a matter of time until he sees the true face of the Rebellion... On Jedha.

* * *

Please leave a review or suggestion.


	12. The Two Temples

"The strongest stars have hearts of kyber..."

-Chirrut Imwe, Guardian of the Whills

* * *

 **The Lothal Jedi Temple**

Director Krennic stepped into the new Imperial mining facility with his Death Trooper escort and Pryce...

"What is the progress on the kyber crystal extraction?" Krennic asked... "My facility on Eadu is in need of new crystals for another weapons test...

"What happened during the previous test?" Pryce asked curiously... It probably wasn't good...

"Galen reported a giant explosion caused by a power overload... These crystals are still too powerful to control with our current technology... We will need several more tests if we are to complete the Death Star on schedule..." Krennic said as they entered the mining facility.

The mining facility was the Lothal Jedi Temple discovered by the Seventh Sister and Fifth Brother two years prior. Lord Vader then led a sweep that uncovered several massive kyber crystals... Krennic then ordered the extraction of these crystals to replace those lost in Galen Erso's experiments... All but two have been removed for delivery to Eadu.

"I see... We will double our efforts then... Hopefully without any Rebel interference as we extract the final two... As you already know, the Rebels destroyed several crystals from our previous source on Lothal." Pryce said...

"The loss of that batch is truly unfortunate... The Rebels have been a nuisance... Hindering me from finishing my greatest achievement... But the new Rebels on Lothal do not know of the weapon... And Saw Gerrera's band of fanatics can't stop me from finishing my plans..." Krennic said, his tone changing to that of ruthless determination... His white outfit glowed red as he walked over the glowing red rings caused by the Inquisitors' initial discovery of the Temple.

(Imagine or play the Imperial Suite for added effect...)

They turned to look at _Acclamator I_ -class Assault Ship dropping a convoy of Imperial AT-ACTs and TX-225r Assault Hovertanks. More AT-ACTs walk into the Acclamator, each one carrying a set of kyber crystals... Some of which are large enough to fit in the cargo bay of one of the massive cargo walkers.

* * *

 **Jedha...**

(Listen to the "Guardians of the Whills Suite" if you want.)

Ezra walked through the streets of the Holy City of NiJedha... There were thousands of religious men and women traversing the streets of the cold desert planet's largest city. And there were quite a few Imperial forces to keep guard... The Emperor did say it was a warzone...

Palpatine had sent him there for some reason... But he could only watch, and because of that didn't have his lightsaber.

He stared at an Imperial walker passing by... One he's never seen before... He guesses that Saw's Rebels forced the Empire to go on high alert here... There were probe droids everywhere... He was glad that probe droids were specifically ordered by the Emperor to prevent attacks on him. The Emperor obviously wanted Ezra alive, but Bridger wasn't completely sure why.

His pensive moment was cut short by a voice calling to him... "You there!"

He turned to look in the direction the voice came from, finding a blind man with his hand motioning for him to come closer... Nearby was a man wearing body armor, armed with a massive repeating blaster...

"What do you want?" Ezra asked cautiously...

"I can see you're troubled... The Force feels strong around you, but it grows dark with fear and confusion..." The man said...

Ezra was shocked... How did he know?

"How do you know?" Ezra said curiously... Is he a Jedi? No... He couldn't be. Jedha's probably one of the first places the Empire would look.

"I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me. I can use it to see my surroundings, sometimes even the feelings of others..." He started saying... Looking straight at Ezra as he sat down in front of him...

"And you my friend, are like a book open for all to read..." He said, his voice strongly indicating humor... But it faded away in an instant... "I can help you... But you'll have to pay..."

Ezra didn't seem convinced... He never knew about groups of non-Force-Sensitives that follow the Force in a similar way to the Jedi and Sith... And he wasn't ready to deal with that at the moment...

"I don't think I need the help..." Ezra said... Not noticing the coldness in his voice...

The man's face didn't change expression... He simply shrugged and said, "Whatever you think is right..."

The sound of a massive explosion nearby caught Ezra's attention... And the man simply sat as he heard the boy run to intervene. The other man walked up to the blind monk...

"He's a Jedi... I can feel it..." The blind one said...

"He's just a boy, Chirrut. There's no way he can be a Jedi..." The other said...

"That's what you think Baze, not what I believe..." Chirrut replied... A smile forming on his face... Chirrut still believed in the Force. Baze, however... Did not believe, not anymore.

* * *

Remember that the _Death Star_ has a heart of kyber.

Please leave any review, or suggestion. All are welcome.


	13. Hearts of Kyber

"There's not much of me left..." -Saw Gerrera

* * *

 **Jedha's Holy City**

The specific echoing sound of the huge blast was unmistakable. Someone had detonated a powerful thermal imploder nearby.

Ezra placed the hooded cloak given to him over his growing hair. There was no time to waste. The Partisans led by Saw Gerrera were attacking, and he knew innocents would be caught in the crossfire.

The blast alone had wiped out a group of men, women, and children that were unlucky enough to be too close to the TX-225r Repulsor Tank that was attacked... Many others began to run away and scream as the Rebel terrorists started opening fire on the Imperial reinforcements. Dozens more were killed in the crossfire, mainly by the Partisan's thermal detonators. It was a terrible sight for Ezra to look at. A child is clinging to his dead parents, crying as all hell broke loose near him.

When a cloaked terrorist readied to throw a thermal imploder to take out the stormtroopers next to the boy, Ezra had no choice but to join in. He raised his DL-44 blaster pistol, and shot the rebel dead... The imploder detonated when his dead body slammed into the ground, a deep blaster wound straight in his cold, dead, heart. The blast killed more rebels, and gave the remaining civilians time to save themselves.

Unbeknownst to him, their leader, the infamous Saw Gerrera, was caught in the imploder blast. One of his legs was blown clean off in an instant, giving his fanatical followers a feeling of shock. They wondered just who could do such an accurate shot—a direct shot to the heart. But they didn't have much time to think. Imperial reinforcements have arrived, three of those smaller Imperial walkers... The AT-STs started opening fire, making mince meat out of the outlying rebels as they began to retreat. Ezra noticed that the men took several large bags with them from the destroyed TX-225r tank. They felt so familiar to him, but he'd need more answers to find out what they were...

"This isn't what I wanted..." Ezra said with a tone of obvious anger, "We should give these people hope, not so much... Fear, anger, hate, and suffering..."

There were many uprisings in the Empire that proved to be too problematic to absorb into the Rebel Alliance. The ones on Onderon, Raxus, and Fondor being the most notable. Jedha is now on that list, and is the worst of all of them. About half a year before, just before his capture on Felucia, Kallus told him about the story he told Zeb about the Lasat mercenary he encountered on Onderon. The man swiftly exterminated his squad in the most brutal ways possible. Ezra shivered at the thought of crushed skulls, torn off limbs, and blaster hits covering the entire face... Saw Gerrera is a man that must never be trusted, but his Partisans form most of the uprisings in the Outer Rim. They've swiftly become the largest cell since they began fighting directly after the first Empire Day. Over 20 years, tens of millions of innocents were killed at the hands of the Partisans. Ezra wanted to stop this threat before more people die here on Jedha, or on Onderon, Raxus, Fondor, etc. They only came to Jedha right after the fiasco on Geonosis.

"Your friend Saw Gerrera is a very unpredictable man... I can say insane with distrust... I never again wish to fight for him, not since the massacre..." A voice said. It was Chirrut, who had managed to sneak up on Ezra while he was thinking of ways to stop this madness. "You're still a very open book, my friend... Tell me what troubles you..."

Ezra no longer hesitated speaking to this man. It'd probably make him go away eventually... "When I sent my message to the Galaxy from Lothal, I never wanted the Rebellion to end up killing so many innocent people in the fight against the Empire." He did whatever he could to keep his voice as blank as possible.

"Well, Saw asked the Guardians of the Whills to help him fight against the reign of the Galactic Empire, which killed all the Jedi on Jedha. We wanted to save the crystals from the Temple of Kyber..." He said, pointing directly at the Temple, despite his total blindness.

"When they arrived only a year ago, we agreed to teach them the alleyways and streets of the Holy City. We also helped them fight the Empire's extraction teams... But Baze and I never got any of the crystals back..." Chirrut turned his head toward the larger man armed with the repeating blaster. That had to be Baze.

"The thing is, Saw Gerrera took them all for ourselves. He never thanked us, or rewarded us in anyway. He just left us here, while he spreads chaos in my home." The blind man's face looked very angry, but then it faded. The man had a mild hatred of Saw Gerrera, but was extremely devout in his beliefs. He knew that the Empire would get the man eventually. No rebellion lasts long if it gets the Empire's full attention, like the infamous Partisans. "Don't trust the rebels here. Their leader is obsessed with kyber crystals. I don't know why... but it makes him far more blind than I am."

Ezra, however, knew the reason why. But he couldn't say a thing because of the constant surveillance by the Emperor. If he starts spreading word of the giant space station, everyone in the city will die. He couldn't let that happen. All he could do is hope that the weapon is never completed.

A giant roar started up in the sky. He looked up, as the _Victory I_ -class Star Destroyer guarding the Jedha airspace left the atmosphere. The situation only got worse, however, because its replacement is an _Imperial I_ -class Star Destroyer. He watched as over 30 TIEs were launched to patrol the city. The escort of _Gozanti_ -class Cruisers deployed more AT-STs to patrol the city, and _Sentinel_ -class Dropships deployed even more Stormtroopers and tanks. Not only the heavy TX-225r repulsor tanks, but also the new 2M _Saber_ -class repulsor tank. Just looking at them zoom out of the dropship was an effective demonstration of the Sabertanks' speed.

Ezra has had enough of this place. He doesn't want to see anymore people die, but can't intervene due to his "execution". If he tried, he'd be shot dead easily without his lightsaber. There's nothing more to do than let the garrison fight the rebels. A thought he'd never though would enter his mind...

He looked back to where Chirrut and Baze are, but all he sees is the cold sandstone wall. It was getting late, and the presence of Saw's rebels would likely make that a very dangerous time. They would have increased cover, and likely didn't care about the cold desert nights. He didn't want to stay any longer.

Ezra activated his comlink, speaking into it. "I'm ready to go back..." He said coldly, as the lack of sunlight began a very cold night.

"Very well, report to the dropship at the sent coordinates, and we'll take you back to the Emperor..." The voice of Admiral Gallius Rax was expelled from the speaker. The battlecruiser Intimidator was in orbit, guarding the system during the garrison transfers.

Ezra walked to the extraction point, and watched a TIE Reaper land in front of him.

* * *

Notes:

-The reason why Ezra's on Jedha is because Palpatine wanted to give the boy a reason to hate the Rebellion. There's no better way to do that than manipulate the boy's urge to save the innocent.

-Baze is still very much a nonbeliever. He's just there to protect Chirrut while the blind one goes out of his way to talk to Ezra.

-Hopefully I get the time to do an actual major battle soon.


	14. Devastation

"Everything leading up to this point has been rehearsal. Now, the real performance will begin..."

-Grand Admiral Thrawn

* * *

 **Imperial Refueling Station A9**

Ezra walked through the bridge of the battlecruiser _Intimidator_ unrestrained. Ezra's proved himself as trustworthy to the Admiral. In response, the Admiral, the young Gallius Rax, treats Ezra with respect. Admiral Rax is one of the Emperor's most trusted servants, and the Emperor's ordered him to treat the boy with the respect for the rank he will soon have. They both planned for Ezra to see the better of the Empire, and paint the Empire as an old government fighting to preserve order. And the visit to Jedha would help paint the Rebellion's various cells as insurgents with the will to sacrifice anything to fight the Empire, including the lives of the innocent. It was working...

The _Intimidator_ docked with the Imperial fueling station. This was the central hub of starship movement in the eastern section of Oversector Outer, which spans the entire Outer Rim. Ezra saw hundreds of civilian and Imperial patrol ships in two separate lines, awaiting refueling. The Rebellion, specifically the Ghost Crew, has been known to attack the station to steal fuel for Phoenix Squadron. Security has been tightened since, with the addition of anti-fighter/freighter turrets placed throughout the quadrant's perimeter. The Empire had learned... And was adapting to Rebellion strategy, but soon the Empire and Ezra will learn that these are now outdated countermeasures.

The bridge of the _Intimidator_ is unusually active. It's possible that the experienced command crew just heard unusually large hyperspace echoes. These echoes are what many warships use to detect approaching starships leaving the bright blue tunnels of hyperspace. Ezra wasn't sure what was coming, but he hoped it wasn't an attacking fleet... But the bridge crew's hopes for the safety of the innocent were lost. A fleet of unidentified cruisers left hyperspace.

The Admiral's thickly accented speech spoke for them all. "Oh no..." They all understood that they had to ready for battle. The entire station and the fleet of corvettes guarding it and the civilian fleets is now on high alert.

* * *

The grey-skinned Mon Calamari's chair moved towards the transparisteel viewport. His mouth began to move, releasing his first battle order as an Admiral. "This is Admiral Raddus of the Rebel Alliance, all wings report in!"

The voices began to pour into the comms, one by one... Blue Squadron, in their Z-95 Headhunters, was first to report. Then it was Red Squadron in Headhunters, Gold Squadron in Y-Wings, and Green Squadron in A-Wings, led by Hera.

"This is Blue Leader standing by —Blue Seven standing by —Blue Three standing by —Blue Five standing by —Blue Twelve standing by —Blue Eleven standing by —Blue Four standing by —Blue Ten standing by —Blue Two standing by —Blue Six standing by —Blue Eight standing by —Blue Nine standing by..."

The list continues to go on... Until the tiny Green Squadron came by, consisting of the Ghost and two A-Wings. They were what was left of Phoenix Squadron: Hera, Wedge, and Hobbie... The A-Wings have been modified to increase speed. These modifications would prove to be useful, but were extremely time-consuming and costly.

"Green Leader standing by —Green Two standing by —Green Three standing by..."

Raddus's voice boomed into the comms as he down towards his chair's audio receiver. "Cruisers, set to attack formation Aurek-Seven. Squadron leaders, stand by while we take out those anti-fighter defenses..."

* * *

"Admiral, our ship is now undocked from the station, what are your orders?" The commander asked, following protocol.

Gallius stared at the Rebel MC80s and the _Profundity_ , and saw the tiny fighters forming behind the main force. They'll have to be taken out... "Launch all Gunboats... Direct the bombers to take out the shields of the nearest cruiser... We must stop them before they destroy this station..."

They saw a spray of ion cannon fire disable most of the smaller ships in their range, including all the civilian freighters, anti-fighter satellites, and Imperial _Lancer_ -class frigates.

"Admiral, they've disabled the civilian transports!" The comm officer yelled, his face showing clear shock at this. Normally the mere presence of the Ghost in the fleet means that these Rebels were more disciplined. No, this was a bold and risky strategy. It didn't do much against the Empire, but it could be very damaging to the Rebellion's reputation.

The next think they knew, a spread of lasers started to fire from the turbolaser-blisters on the cruisers. And within minutes, the wall of civilian ships and Imperial defenses were left a pile of rubble... Their Admiral must've ordered them to fire randomly to destroy all the Imperial frigates.

They were all stunned. Not only because of the thousands of innocent civilians killed in an attack, but because of the sheer power of these ships. They might even be able to match a Star Destroyer in a broadside. They need to get to action... The engine units of the Praetor glowed fiercely as they went on maximum thrust.

* * *

"You're all clear, Green Leader. You may begin the fuel extraction..." General Merrick, Blue Leader, said into the comm channel.

The Ghost and Blue Squadron's U-Wings flew straight to the hangar. These stations were completely unarmed, and not a single TIE was stocked in them. They're solely built for the refueling of starships in the Empire.

The landing ramps dropped on all five boarding craft, and Rebels quickly stormed the hangar. Kanan and Zeb lead the push, decimating the garrison as they got closer to the huge fuel canisters. It took little effort to pushing them into the Ghost...

But for some reason Kanan was still worried... Something's coming, or is it already here? He couldn't tell. But to him, it was the cold... He thought Darth Vader was on his way to stop the attack, but he had no idea which force user was already present...

"What's wrong, love?" Hera said with deep concern. Kanan was only like this before something terrible was happening...

"It's the cold... I think Vader's on his way. We'll have to hurry..." The blind man simply said...

Hurry they did. Within an hour, they left with the much needed fuel...

The mission was both a success and failure. The Mon Calamari cruisers have proven to be extremely effective, and they got the fuel. But they lost one MC60 cruiser, and killed thousands of innocents while doing it.

They'll have to create protocols involving capital ships to prevent becoming like the Partisans. It was distateful.

* * *

Ezra watched as the Mon Calamari cruisers turned to jump to hyperspace. They were defenseless... And the _Praetor II_ -class Battlecruiser _Intimidator_ took advantage of the situation. A barrage of turbolaser fire destroyed the engine units of the MC60. And he watched as the Ghost entered hyperspace. Ezra thought this was going to be a rescue, but he now knew that he was abandoned by his new family forever. The simple thought of it made him shake as he was seething with anger...

His vision was being manipulated, all the way from Coruscant... Palpatine, using Sith magic, began altering Ezra's memory was altered to believe that this MC60 was crewed by the Partisans. The group he hated even as a part of the Rebellion. He wanted to avenge the dead children on Jedha, and the merchants now drifting in the cold vacuum of space not far away. He wanted vengeance...

"I'll lead the boarding party, and I'll kill every man on that enemy ship..." Ezra said coldly, his mind blind to what he just said...

"Very well... Ezra..." Gallius said to the young boy, placing his hand on his shoulder. He had been through a similar lifestyle. But instead of living alone as a street rat on Lothal, Rax grew up as a slave on the unbearably hot planet of Jakku. His savior: then Chancellor Palpatine. After that, he had an unwavering loyalty to the Emperor and his Empire.

Ezra lead the boarding party of red Shocktroopers as they marched towards the hangar's TIE/br boarding shuttles. The trip to the ship was a deadly silence...

When the doors opened, he saw the Rebels open fire... Their storm of blaster bolts was a valiant effort to defend themselves against certain doom, but it obviously was not enough... As they were slaughtered they saw the bright green glow of a lightsaber and a boy with deep yellow eyes.


	15. Change

**Deep Space**

Ezra stood at the bridge of the _Intimidator_ , contemplating what he had just done to hundreds of Rebel crewmen... He was no better than the Empire, and the Rebellion isn't the beacon of hope he asked for. This is a war. And war always brings violent atrocities on both sides. Rex had told him about the terrible things done in the Clone Wars. The Separatist Alliance had enslaved many dissidents to fuel their war machine, and the Republic committed something just as disgusting.

Before the Siege of Mandalore, Rex told him about a battle on the Separatist factory world of Pammant. After Anakin and the 501st were sent to Mandalore, the Republic launched an attack to destroy the various underground shipyards built by the Mon Calamari and Quarren. A seemingly endless orbital bombardment was carried out by _Venator_ and _Victory_ -class Star Destroyers. This was also the first documented appearance of the _Imperial_ -class Star Destroyers, then called the _Imperator_ -class. Not one person on the ground survived... This mission only increased the turmoil in the Senate until the end of the war. The Empire was originally built to maintain peace and order in the wake of the Clone Wars... But their hopes were shattered by Rebels and remaining Separatists...

" _Maybe I can turn the Empire back into a force of goodness_ ," Ezra thought to himself. The thought lingered in his mind as he was escorted to a _Lambda_ -class shuttle... It was worth a shot, but is also incredibly risky. Ezra's already harnessed the Dark Side many times, and its made him overconfident. He's sure he can work for the Empire without becoming corrupted by the immense power it would bring him. His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden blue lights in the viewport. The shuttle's already entered hyperspace. Admiral Rax has set it on course to Coruscant's Imperial Palace. The Empire was loyal to its cause, but strongly believed in the ends justifying the means. That was why they did all their acts of aggression, to root out the ever-existing Rebels.

* * *

 **Yavin IV**

Mon Mothma and Bail Organa had ordered a meeting in light of the destructive fuel run. They were determined to remain more principled than Saw Gerrera's Partisans, who have completely split from the Alliance prior to their Jedha Campaigns.

Hera, Kanan, and Rex arrived late. They came to a command room filled with command staff. The two Admirals already discussing tactics with the Senators. "Well this looks interesting..." Rex said. He was no stranger to these types of discussions, which coincidentally usually involved Senators Organa and Mothma. They used to lead a party in the Senate that would call for peace, and hated the wasteful type of violence used in the Clone Wars.

"Welcome, friends. We are here to discuss the subject of the recent civilian casualties." Bail started. The entire room was silenced. "The Rebellion is meant to be a symbol of hope for the people of the Empire. If we are to continue being such, we must be sure that our battles have no civilian casualties. If we continued, the Imperial propaganda would turn more systems against us. Therefore, we will need a solution to this problem."

Admiral Ackbar is the first to come up with a solution... "I suggest that we supplement our frigates and cruisers with more corvettes. Many of our corvettes were lost above Atollon, and have left a gap in our fleet that could've taken out the anti-fighter defenses without targeting the merchant ships. The _CR90_ is cheap and reliable, but I suggest we also acquire the heavier _Marauder_ -class produced by Sienar Fleet Systems. Their accurate long-range targeting systems will be useful against short-range defenses."

Hera was in agreement, but asked only one question... "How exactly do we acquire a Marauder Corvette? They were discontinued before the end of the Clone Wars." Ackbar's reply is quick: "The Corporate Sector Authority still produces them to aid their Munificent-class Star Frigates, along with their 500 Venator-class Star Destroyers purchased from the Imperial Navy. However, Marauders are used in tiny picket fleets, which are light enough to take from."

"I have an alternative solution... We can instead make use of the Rendili Stardrive _Hammerhead_ -class Corvettes, which are much easier to obtain through Senator Organa. In that way, we can acquire more corvettes without any conflict." Raddus instead suggested. Conflict was something they needed to avoid until they get these new corvettes. Then, they'll finally be ready to upgrade their Starfighter Corps with the X-Wings on Lothal. But it was taking too long, and they've likely gotten information about the Lothal attack from probing Ezra. So they'll need to be ready for any Imperial countermeasure.

"Those in agreement, say aye..." Senator Mothma said. The room was filled with ayes—the vote was unanimous.

* * *

 **Coruscant, the Imperial Palace**

Ezra was surprised when the Royal Guards began to escort him to a different part of the palace. The path they were taking took them straight through the hallways leading to the center tower. He didn't know why.

When the lift reached the top, he found the Emperor watching a hologram detailing events in this room... Before he turned to face the young boy near him. The hologram was a bunch of Jedi in seats, including Kenobi and Yoda, speaking to two more Jedi standing. The words "Padawan Tano" and "Young Skywalker" hit him immediately. The two standing Jedi were Anakin and Ahsoka.

"Welcome to the meeting place of the traitorous Jedi High Council..." Palpatine declared from the place he was standing. "See here the plotting the Jedi have committed to overthrow the Senate..."

Ezra walked next to the Emperor, taking in every detail of the conversations. Including how they've always kept Anakin and Ahsoka in the dark for the plans. After watching the two holograms leave the door, the Council continued its discussion.

"If indeed under the control of the Sith, the Chancellor is... Take control of the Senate, we must." The hologram Yoda said in his backwards speech, further stunning Ezra.

"I'm not entirely sure that will be possible for now. We'll have to wait until we have more evidence." Kenobi said. The hologram Master Windu was about to say something, cut off when Palpatine shuts off the footage.

"What did you see, young Jedi?" Palpatine said, not bothering to face Ezra as he searches for more footage he hasn't seen. Now that he had control of all the Temple systems, he periodically searches the council footage to see their discussions.

"The Jedi... lying to their own?" Ezra said, skeptical. He wasn't sure what to think.

"That was the Jedi High Council, speaking to the future Lord Vader and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. They both distrusted the Jedi Council for their lack of judgement. Only Lord Vader learned the true reason for his distrust. A plot to take power over the Senate..." Palpatine said in his coarse voice. One damaged during the Jedi attack. "Now, will you help me uproot their lies, which eventually formed the Rebellion?"

Ezra stood silent for ten minutes, taking in more footage before making his decision... "I'll help you. If it means that the Empire will stop the mistreatment of its Outer Rim citizens."

Palpatine was very pleased with the response. The boy had proven to be extremely easy to manipulate... "I will do what I can, but remember that I do not have complete influence over Imperial bureaucracy... But I can teach you all aspects of the Force, not just the narrow-minded view of the Jedi."

"I'll take that into consideration..." Ezra replied... Still skeptical... "What kind of teachings?"

"The dangerous power of cheating death..." The old man said... The man's damaged voice always had a very hypnotic lull to it, a mind trick strong enough to affect most force sensitives... The concept of cheating death seemed irresistible because of it, just like the Emperor's other manipulations. It's something that may have contributed to Anakin's fall to the Dark Side.

Ezra knelt down as the man turned to face him... "Then I accept..."

Now, everything is going to change.


	16. Calm Before the Storm

"Although the Clone Wars were over, some people never seemed to get the message..."

\- 501st Stormtrooper

* * *

 **Geonosis**

Since the Death Star was sent to Scarif for superlaser construction, there is nothing left on the dead world of Geonosis. The Empire made sure to remove all who witnessed the Death Star's construction. In place of the loud clicks of the Geonosians is absolute silence... The in the many empty catacombs, the loudest sound is the deep echoes of the winds directing sand into the underground tunnels.

One day, the entrances will be buried in irritating sand. One day, the once proud hives will be forgotten... Their dead inhabitants forever painted as villains by the Empire's historians... Their bodies vaporized, crushed, burnt, and suffocated in the waves of orbital bombardment, incinerator troopers, death troopers, and Gozanti-class Cruisers dropping massive gas bombs into the caves. Not even the wildlife was safe... The entire planet was converted into an empty wasteland, with survivors struggling to find food and water.

Today the emptiness of the caves is broken by the fluttering of Geonosian wings. A survivor... waiting for the perfect opportunity. It was only a matter of time until allies came, but now hope returns to the survivor. A pair of old Separatist Shuttles land at the underground droid foundry... The bug is filled with great joy to see the old starships, for their crew could help repair the factory... Perhaps production can restart.

The bug was surprised by the droid leading the platoon... A Super Tactical Droid...

"After hearing of the destruction the Galactic Empire committed on Geonosis, I calculated that only 1% of the population would survive... It seems that I was correct... However, I did not anticipate that an engineer for Baktoid Combat Automata would not be hunted down..."

The geonosian, Gizor Delso, spewed a number of clicks translating to: "I was not on Geonosis at the time... My base on Mustafar was attacked by Imperial clones. I was the only survivor, General Kalani."

"This Droid Foundry is still intact... We can create more Battle Droids and transports... Perhaps even small frigates in the shipyard... If it survived the bombardments." Kalani replied...

"The automation systems are intact, but I alone could not repair factory's construction modules." Delso clicked... "But with the help of your droids, we could create a new army to defend what's left..."

"I suggest we make our primary infantry unit the BX-series Droid Commando... Their intelligence and accuracy will be more useful in engagements against the Empire and pirates..." Kalani suggested... "With the accuracy of a BX-series, I calculate that an Armored Assault Tank may have a 40% chance of destroying an All Terrain Armored Transport by exploiting the weak armor of their necks..."

The geonosian engineer only nodded in agreement. With total control of the factory, there is no need to consider expenses.

"B1-397, you and your squad must secure the perimeter." The super tactical droid ordered. Perhaps there's hope for the Separatist holdouts after all...

* * *

 **Lothal**

Captain Kallus and Captain Andor stand over a detailed hologram of the Incom Base. Surrounding them are Ryder Azadi's rebels.

"Thanks to extremely detailed information we've from the Incom defectors supplemented by intercepted transmissions, we now know enough information on the base's security..." Kallus said, pointing at the powerful turbolaser batteries, power generator, and garrison units.

"We'll need a good distraction to draw out the garrison's heavy vehicles. The Rebellion does have a limited supply of its own vehicles that we'll be using." Cassian continued...

"What kind of vehicles?" A Lothal rebel said...

"We've amassed an arsenal of old Clone Wars tech, such as AT-APs and AATs... But our heaviest vehicles are T-2B and T-3B Assault Tanks... They're created specifically for the Rebellion, and are extremely easy to pilot." Kallus answered quickly... "The vehicular force will attack the eastern wall, which has exposed turbolaser defenses, and will distract the Imperial defenses until Gold Squadron destroys the main power generator... Which will disable the heavy turbolasers and shields. Then the SpecOps unit and Red Squadron will steal both the plans and the fighters themselves..."

"The Fleet will likely be preoccupied with distracting the blockade to prevent orbital bombardment... So we'll need to do everything we can to steal the plans as quickly as possible..." Explained Captain Andor... "Is that understood?"

"Understood, sir." The soldiers at the debriefing responded to the Fulcrum Agent.

"I'm guessing that General Syndulla's going to be involved?" Ryder said to the two Captains.

"General Syndulla and Gold Squadron will be providing air support. Zeb and Kanan will be joining us on the ground..." Kallus replied... "They're almost ready to start. All we need to do is wait... Then we can get to work."


	17. Fires of Tyranny

"Wipe them out... All of them..."

-Emperor Palpatine

* * *

 ** _Imperial II_** **-class Star Destroyer** ** _Chimaera_**

The planet of New Plympto had always been a thorn in the side for the Empire. It was a powerful Separatist stronghold during the Clone Wars, and is now a Rebel stronghold. The first rebellion on the planet was crushed by Darth Vader only a year after the Republic's reorganization into the Empire.

The Imperial Army was incredibly lax on this particular world, leaving no garrison to monitor its people. To them, New Plympto did not need one, because Vader had totally wiped out the previous resistance movement. But the Nosaurians have taken full advantage of the total lack of defenses, and built their forces until they finally allies themselves with the growing rebellion...

Grand Admiral Thrawn had detected the rebel presence when his long range scanners detected Rebel-specific frequencies. In the months following this revelation, he had been ordered by Grand Moff Tarkin to shift his focus from the Mon Calamari to the Nosaurians. Even though Thrawn believed this to be unnecessary, Tarkin insisted that Thrawn deal with the Nosaurians. The reasons the politician cited involved giant kyber crystals detected during the systemwide scan. The crystals would be useful for use in the Death Star, as well as the Emperor's personal starship.

But finally, after months of studying these peculiar species, he was ready to strike... The Seventh Fleet, now containing a new prototype _Interdictor_ -class Star Destroyer, jumps out of the bright blue maelstorm of hyperspace into the emptyness of the Plympto System.

Unsurprisingly, there is a tiny defense fleet consisting of _Munificent_ -class Star Frigates and one _Recusant_ -class Light Destroyer.

Thrawn quickly observed the sight. Then he turned and said: "The old frigates will not be of any concern to us... However, all TIEs must be launched to combat the coming Vulture Droid swarm..."

Commander Faro nodded, and quickly marched out of Thrawn's office. The space was filled with new art pieces created by Nosaurians. They are the primary enemy the Empire will be dealing with in this siege. The force in question mainly uses hit and run tactics, and has an arsenal of the moderately fast AAT-2 repulsor tanks in addition to a set of droids.

Thrawn soon joins Faro on the bridge, observing as hundreds of TIEs and TIE Interceptors make short work of the smaller swarm of Vulture Droids. There is no escape for the Separatist ships.

"Concentrate your fire on the exposed superstructures of the frigates. When the frigates are shattered, there will be no escape for the ground forces." Thrawn calmly said into the comms.

The frigates made the massive mistake of advancing, instead of retreating beyond the range of the Interdictor. Their weak frames were shattered in seconds by the combined fire of a full-force Imperial fleet.

"Begin landing the troops..." Thrawn ordered calmly... Acknowledging the Tarkin Initiative's need for kyber crystals.

* * *

 **Half-Axe Pass, New Plympto**

The anti-air defenses of the old Separatist stronghold necessitated the use of Acclamator-class Assault Ships to land the ground force... The weak flak pods could not break the overlapping shields of the transport frigates.

In during the night, stormtroopers, a HAVr A9 Floating Fortress, several MAT artillery tanks, and a group of TX-130t _Saber_ -class tanks (or IFTs) are unloaded into a large grassland at the edge of the pass. There's too little space for the use of AT-ATs, and Thrawn figured that the powerful AAT tanks would make mince meat out of his arsenal of the lightly-armored AT-STs that replaced the AT-DPs lost in the Battle of Atollon.

"Artillery group, clear a path for the armored division... Fire at the specified coordinates." Thrawn calmly ordered...

The artillery tanks, which are only armed with a heavy projectile launcher, are loaded with incendiary bombs to clear a path to the Nosaurian base.

The Nosaurians were surprised by the Imperials withholding their troops... Until they saw the fire igniting throughout the dry forests of Half-Axe Pass... The fire filled the cold-blooded reptiles with fear, surprise, and hopelessness... Through a simple forest fire, Thrawn had undone their entire plans for the use of guerilla warfare... Only their fortifications can have any hope of stopping the Imperials, but without any form of escape they will perish.

"All troopers, take your places in the transport... When all surviving troopers are in the transport, the armored division will advance..." Thrawn ordered, looking at the chaos of the fire through his binoculars.

The Sabertanks advanced first, followed by the floating fortress... They passed through the burning forest, running over all enemy infantry in their way.

"Deal with the AATs first, then storm the base..." Thrawn said into the armored division's comms as he watched the Nosaurian AATs advance towards the armored division...

Separatist AATs were still a formidable enemy, having the firepower to disable an AT-AT with a well-placed shot to the neck or legs. But they were slow, and their armor stands no chance against the heavy firepower of an IFT's beam cannon. The IFTs had every advantage due to their heavy firepower and extremely fast speed.

All of the Nosaurian AATs fired their heavy turrets. Shell after shell hit the burning ground. The repeated explosions threw napalm and burning wood into the sky. But as much as the Nosaurians tried, the AAT cannons were far too slow to deal with Sabertanks. Most of the shells missed because the tanks fired either too early or too late, but two that managed to get a direct hit instantly destroyed the sabertanks in a violent explosion. And the napalm launched in the explosions simply bounced off the tanks' light shields. In just ten minutes, the sabertanks had gotten so close to the AATs that the projectile launchers could not aim at them.

The tank commanders manning the main beam turret of the IFTs chose their targets, and fired a powerful beam of blue plasma... The armor on the modified AATs burned, and the nosaurians manning the main turrets were burnt to a crisp by the extreme heat. The beam cannons were more effective on infantry, but were decent against enemy armor...

A loud roar entered the ears of the Nosaurians. The sabertanks fired PLEX rockets from their missile launchers. The rockets punched through the hulls of the AATs and detonated inside. The tank commanders watched as the huge explosions launched shrapnel in all directions. This is why the stormtroopers were in the floating fortress: The napalm and shrapnel would decimate them otherwise. The sabertanks waited for the floating fortress to arrive, while the shrapnel bounced off their shields.

"Targeting at maximum firepower..." The fortress commander said into the comms, as he pointed at the weakest section of the thick wall.

The floating fortress aimed its single heavy laser cannon at the wall, destroying the old durasteel with a volley of plasma fired at maximum firepower. Nosaurians directly behind the wall were either crushed by giant chunks of metal, torn apart by shrapnel, or vaporized by a direct hit from the lasers.

"Excellent, commander... Now storm the base and eliminate all rebels..." Thrawn's voice projected into the comms.

"Beginning infantry deployment sequence..." The fortress commander stated into the comms. He pulled a lever on the controls, and gestured the stormtroopers towards the back end of the repulsorlift transport. His turned the vehicle towards the wall, and began deployment.

A large hatch at the back of the transport opened, extending a small ramp. The stormtroopers poured out and engaged the enemy infantry units while the floating fortress dealt with the defensive turrets.

The Nosaurians hid in the buildings, frequently getting out of cover to shoot at the advancing troopers. The strategy seemed to be working well, but they did not anticipate what came next... A trio of death troopers left the floating fortress to attack the Nosaurians. Due to their black paint hiding them from sensors and hiding them in dark spaces, they were invisible to the reptile soldiers.

Chaos ensued when the death troopers flanked them. The nosaurians were quickly wiped out as the trio of elite commandos attacked from behind. Each shot was a surgically precise strike to the head. The trio silently advanced to the command center, which remained unaware of the approaching enemies...

"Attention Rebel Command! We're facing doom! Hel-" The Nosaurian resistance leader said, before he was shot in the head... All in full view of Senator Mon Mothma. She gasped and covered her mouth as she saw the jet black death troopers massacre the rest of the command staff... They then cut the communications as they began searching through all known coordinates in their terminals. But no useful information was found... Other than the existence of more Separatist Holdouts and the Rebellion's plan to attack Lothal, which the New Plympto cell would've been involved in.

Death Squad decided to take this information for direct delivery to Grand Moff Tarkin and Director Krennic, bypassing Thrawn's command completely. Thrawn would know of this when Tarkin deems it necessary.

The battle was over. Not a single nosaurian rebel survived... Their bodies were either laying dead on the cold durasteel of the base, or burning in the forest. The Acclamator landed at the base for extraction, and the Empire withdrew... A separate Acclamator carrying a large garrison was already on its way. This world is now under close surveilance.

The Death Troopers, before they withdrew, immediately informed the Grand Moff about the information they've discovered.

Satisfied with the total victory, Thrawn reached for his belt and pulled out his holoprojector. He must inform Governor Tarkin of the news... The hologram of the grand moff appeared within seconds... "Ah, Grand Admiral Thrawn... I assume that you've wiped out the nosaurian insurgents?"

"Yes, Governor Tarkin... They have been wiped out as ordered..." Thrawn calmly replied...

"Excellent... The kyber crystals on this world will be very useful for the Tarkin Initiative's main project... But there is another pressing matter... My spies have informed me that the Rebels do indeed plan on raiding Lothal for the fighters... Deal with them..." Tarkin coldly said... The blue hue of the hologram not doing anything to hinder his ice cold expression.

"As you wish, Governor Tarkin... I will lay a trap for them..." Thrawn replied... watching the hologram disappear... There is a new objective to deal with, and he must immediately begin preparing...


	18. A Change of Plans

**Base One, Yavin IV**

Mon Mothma watched as the holoprojector cloaked the room in a deep blue light, as if she were in an dimly lit Mon Cala city. The blue tinting Fulcrum agent Cassian Andor's face was as pale as a freezing sea. He had no choice but to relay the grimness of the situation on Lothal.

"Senator, we've been discovered by the Empire…"

The Senator's face turned to General Dodonna. She had no experience whatsoever in strategy and tactics. Meaning that he created most of the strategies used by Base One.

"Withdraw immediately. We can't risk losing more resources. Those transport ships should be protected by A-Wings, Z-95s, and T-47s."

Dodonna remained calm in light of this news. It would be unwise to act on sheer emotion in battle, unless one was leading it directly. This strategy seemed to be the most logical in both his and Cassian's minds. Therefore, it shall be used.

Cassian nodded, and shut off the transmission… The sound of an approaching starship can be heard in the background, the rumbling of a Kuat Drive Yards ship—likely an Acclamator.

"It seems that our plans for the Lothal attack have been delayed, General…" Mon Mothma said.

Their resources are still slowly dwindling. The Empire had recently shattered their alliance with the Nosaurian Separatists by wiping out the entire species, and it now seemed that other Holdouts are in the crosshairs once again. Ryloth continues to face siege by Imperial forces, and is unable to participate in the attack. Allies are slowly dwindling, like ice during spring thaw.

"Indeed… The Empire must be aware of our attack if they're reacting so efficiently… The Nosaurians are all but extinct—like the Geonosians, but there are other Separatist holdouts and neutral systems willing to help us." The General said to the Senator, showing a list of Rebel sympathizers and Separatists given to Fulcrum by Bothan spies. The list was then relayed to General Draven, who showed it to General Dodonna.

The redheaded Senator's face showed uncertainty. The Rebellion's public opinion has soured in the past few months, especially in the aftermath of the accidental civilian massacre. The Empire had planted military transponders in civilian transports, making them look like Imperial corvettes in Rebel targeting systems. That was a truly dreadful display, and further proved to Mothma of the Empire's treachery.

"I'm not sure if getting support from the Separatists will tarnish our reputation. The Empire will certainly use it against us, but I hope that the people will see the Empire as a greater evil. All that they've done is far more brutal than the Separatists could ever accomplish now that Count Dooku and General Grievous have been dead for 19 years."

"We can only hope…" The General sighed…

* * *

 **Northhills Mountain Range, Lothal**

The situation on Lothal had worsened. The Rebel outpost had been discovered by probe droids searching for kyber crystals, sent on the orders of Director Krennic and Thrawn. Thrawn's secondary objective, the locating of the Empire's immediate threat, has been fulfilled. And now a storm begins to descend upon the mountains.

"We have an Acclamator Assault Ship incoming!" A rebel scout looked up at the sky, which was engulfed by a massive carrier frigate.

"Looks like we'll need to speed up our escape. Though some of us will need to keep them distracted."

Cassian stared at the behemoth, watching as it slowly descended about a two miles away from their base. That was likely deemed by the Imperials as the safest place to land.

"Any ideas on how to keep them busy, Captain?"

Kallus shrugged. He had no idea what would be on the Acclamator, but it likely contained at least a pair of AT-ATs if this attack was serious.

"What we should be careful of are All Terrain Armored Transports. If we can't take them out, they'll simply demolish our defenses and storm the base."

The former Fulcrum agent pointed at the legs of an AT-AT's hologram.

"A well-placed rocket should be able to take out one of the legs, disabling them. But I'm not sure if it'll work on the newer versions that were created. The Empire always has a way with improving technology."

Cassian increased the magnification of his binoculars, looking at the contents of that Acclamator.

"This doesn't look good… We may be in trouble…"

A single AT-AT and several TX-225 tanks began to advance from the inside of the Acclamator, followed by troop transports carrying stormtroopers, and a dozen jump troopers flying towards the base on their jetpacks. Two gozanti cruisers hovered nearby, carrying AT-DPs and AT-STs for reinforcement.

"I calculate that we have a 75.77709% chance of failure." The rather annoying enforcer droid, K2-SO, said as the creaking of walkers started to become audible.

* * *

-It's back!

-Please leave a review. I'd much appreciate that.


	19. Find You Later, Kill You Then

**" _Escape. Hide. Find you later. Kill you then." -Boba Fett_**

* * *

 **Lothal**

"Governor Pryce, our transmitters have detected the Rebel frequency..." Captain Yogar Lyste said to the politician... Thrawn had released him from prison upon Kallus's outing as Fulcrum. The entire ordeal had been eye-opening for the young officer. He shouldn't be so trusting... As his closest friend was in reality a Rebel.

"Thank you, Captain... Send an audio transmission..." The Governor replied... She felt sympathy for the young man. Her 'friends' in Higher Skies Advocacy Group were also cheating, lying, and deceitful traitors. She now resented Agent Kallus more than ever for persuading Lyste to attack her.

She stared out the viewport, watching the AT-AT and tanks lumber forward; the walker hindered by the terrain. The tanks, however, can bypass those obstacles with their repulsorlifts. And the jump troopers can simply fly over the highest cliff to reach their Rebel targets.

The tanks began to blast away chunks of rock to let the walker pass through the tight gaps.

"Send out droids to record the battle. Director Krennic will want to see our results..."

* * *

"That's definitely not good..." Ryder spied on the Imperial armor group blasting away boulders. The Acclamator in the background was also firing its turbolasers to destroy entire mountains.

However, Cassian noticed a very small detail that gave him a bad feeling...

"That's strange... Why aren't they just shelling us with that heavy transport?"

"It doesn't matter now. We need to get our transports loaded... Or we'll all die when they do reach us." Ryder said, his face stern...

"Launch the speeders..." Ryder yelled into his commlink.

The T-47 Airspeeders began launch sequence. Their engines roaring as they abruptly entered the sky.

"Green Squadron, keep them distracted while we load the transports. Target the walker's joints if you can. A walker is only as strong as its weakest joint..." Kallus calmly said to the pilots in the air. "Be on the lookout for anything they might be hiding. This situation isn't following normal protocol..."

"Copy that, Captain..." Wedge replied from his comms of his Airspeeder. He didn't like it at all. It was so much slower and weaker than an A-Wing or Headhunter. And to top it all off it doesn't have any shielding to protect the craft from fighter attack. It was basically a flying death trap fast enough to outrun a TIE Fighter in atmosphere.

The AT-AT stopped in its tracks. The base was in range... It began firing at the Rebels with its heavy laser cannons while the TX-225 tanks moved further on.

"Take out those tanks before they tear our shuttles apart!" Ryder yelled into his communicator. Ordering the speeders to divert their attention to the assault tanks.

"Copy that, commander." Wedge replied, scowling at the speed of the tanks. It was much, much faster than anticipated.

Turning around, Kallus faced the former Governor of Lothal. "Governor Azadi, you should go with the rest of the forces on the transports. Go to coordinates 099 067 for our rendezvous. The Empire has never really considered searching for things in that set of mountains. You'll be safe and have time to reassess the situation."

"I agree... May the Force be with you, Captain..." Azadi and the rest of the personnel turned and ran for the transports. They took blasters, packed equipment, and began to dismantle their mobile base at an alarmingly quick pace. The transports would be ready in about ten minutes; just enough time to spare before the AT-AT tears the ship to pieces.

"Attack Pattern Delta. Go now!" Wedge ordered, leading the airspeeders as they began to fly in loops around the slow hovertanks. Whenever it became visible, the speeders took aim with their targeting computers. Large bolts of hot red plasma began to be flung at the Imperial tanks. The impact of each laser either killed the gunner or administered severe burns to the armor.

Some tanks began to screech to a halt, as the blast of the lasers severely injured or killed both gunner and driver in some tanks. The surviving tanks could not aim at the speeders, however. TX-225r repulsor tanks are meant for use against ground targets. They excelled against infantry and light ground vehicles, but can't aim at the fighters correctly. The airspeeders were bought and modified to provide a useful counter to heavy tanks such as the TX-225r or the Imperial Armored Assault Tanks.

The engines of the GR75 Medium Transport roared to life. Azadi was finally getting away.

Lowering his binoculars at the peculiar sight of the AT-AT's halt, Kallus turned to Andor. "Is the ship ready?"

Andor raised his comlink. "K2, is our ship ready?"

"The U-Wing is ready for launch. I've also charged up the mounted weapons and magnetized their legs. Mainly because of the very dire situation..."

"Good. We're on our way..." Cassian cut the transmission... Looking at the AT-AT. "What's happening?"

The AT-AT's sides began to unhinge. And the massive hatches sealing the troop transport changed into deployment configuration. A dozen jump troopers in their white armor began propelling themselves towards the emptying base. Leading them, with shining green armor, was a Mandalorian warrior...

Kallus turned away from the main front. "Run!"

The Mandalorian landed on top of one of the airspeeders, and shot the pilot in the head with his EE-3 blaster carbine. The jump troopers did the same, but were less successful with their slower jetpacks.

"Blue Squadron, retreat immediately! Those jump troopers will tear you to shreds." Cassian said in his comlink, running towards the U-Wing.

Kallus and Cassian jumped into the U-Wing, which was already hovering for a quick takeoff.

"About time. That Acclamator was about to blast us out of the sky." K2 said nonchalantly.

"Not now, K2. Just get us out of here!" Kallus yelled as he sealed the doors.

The U-Wing and airspeeders flew away in different directions, to avoid tracking. They would all converge at the rendezvous point near the Southern Ocean.

The soldiers who stayed behind to defend the position were annihilated. The flamethrower on the Mandalorian's wrist disintegrated several Rebels with its intense heat.

The Empire didn't attempt to pursue. A shuttle was flying towards the Acclamator, carrying an important officer.

* * *

The Mandalorian returned to the Governor Pryce, who was in the main hangar of the Imperial Assault Ship.

"I didn't sign up for a battle. I'll continue my hunt for him, but you'll have to double your payment..."

Governor Pryce was unfazed. "Of course, bounty hunter. You can hunt for him on your own. I will provide the first half of your fee immediately. And when you bring that traitor to me, alive, you'll get the other half. If someone else captures him first, you will still receive your payment. Is that sufficient?"

The helmet hid a stern face. "That'll do..."

The Mandalorian flew away on his jetpack, flying towards his Firespray-class ship hidden at the edge of the mountain range.

The distorted chatter of Death Troopers signaled the approach of Director Krennic.

His cape flew with the faint wind as he stopped next to the holoprojector.

"Governor Pryce. I would like to see the capabilities of our prototype..."

"Of course, Director..." She showed a hologram of the AT-AT facing attack by T-47 airspeeders. Their blasters barely put a dent in the thick durasteel armor. The temple-mounted blaster cannons fired rapidly, making short work of the attackers. "As you can see, we have increased the thickness of the durasteel plating, especially on the cockpit and 'neck' area."

"Impressive... What about the legs? A walker is only as strong as its weakest joint." The Director said, his facing remaining coldly stern.

Pryce accelerated the clip until it reached a certain point. A rebel fired a smart rocket from her launcher, aiming directly at one of the legs. The rocket, which would've decimated an AT-ST or heavily damaged an AT-DP, only produced severe burns and slowed the speed of the joint's movement. But it remained intact and functional.

"I will relay this to the others at our next meeting..." Director Krennic continued. Before he could turn away, Pryce stopped him to tell him something.

"These Rebels were here for the X-Wings. Please inform the Tarkin Initiative that the location of our secret factory has been compromised. We need to move them back to Fresia."

The Director nodded... "I'll see what I can do about our X-Wing problem..."

The Director returned to his shuttle, which began to take off while Gozanti cruisers began to deploy reinforcements consisting of TIE Fighters, 2M tanks, AT-STs, and more jump troopers to secure the area.


	20. The Mandalore Plot

**Loosely based off of the Season 4 premiere.**

* * *

"Your master has deceived you into believing you can become a Jedi."-Darth Vader

* * *

 **MUSTAFAR**

"Lord Vader..." A Mandalorian bowed as the Dark Lord of the Sith marched into the massive chamber alone... Surrounding him is a deep white mist that glowed in comparison the jet black steel lining the walls of the castle.

The Mandalorian felt something he hasn't experienced for years... fear... The scenery and the sheer power of Vader's presence chilled him to the core. Vader is fear itself; the being that the bravest will immediately run from. That was the kind of power he possessed...

"Tiber of Clan Saxon... Governor Baldwin personally endorsed you for your work in dealing with rebels attacking his territory in Kashyyk... Perhaps he was wrong..." Vader said, breathing at every pause. His deep red lenses were unmoving, unfeeling, and unreadable. His jet black robe did not catch fire in the clouds of flying embers. The embers simply dissipated—the temperature decreasing rapidly as they neared the Dark Lord.

"T-The weapon you have been requested has been completed on schedule. It will bring efficiently burn Mandalore to submission... Quickly and decisively." The governor spoke with great confidence. He had spent four years working on that weapon... After Sabine destroyed it during her escape.

Vader was not swayed by his claim... He withheld other thoughts in mind that he had to confirm... He began to pace around the circular platform...

"And what of your sense of honor? The Mandalorians believe in honorable warfare above all else, and practice that belief only during civil war... Your own family would not approve of such a weapon..."

"Mandalore must adapt to survive. We must change if we are to endure the dusty storm of time..." Tiber replyed, hiding fear... What was Vader think? Why would he make such an inquiry? Certainly there was purpose to his madness...

Vader remained completely calm as he began to speak. His dark aura was freezing, even in such close proximity to lava.

"You were not sent here to grovel, Governor Saxon... Your primary motivation lies in power, not in loyalty... Would you turn your back on the Empire if the Rebellion and Separatists gain a winning advantage?"

"Of... of course not my Lord. I-" Vader's dark grip cut off his pleading... His slow, calm breathing while doing so struck true terror into Saxon's mind. But Vader wasn't the only one feeding off that fear...

"I do not wish to hear your pleading... You must prove your loyalty by testing the weapon..."

He released the Mandalorian from his force grip, allowing him to breath...

"I will send one of my personal agents to oversee your operation... If you fail me again, you will be replaced..."

Vader swiftly marched out of the chamber, leaving the droids with Saxon as he recovered... They were given strict orders to escort the warrior back to his _Venator_ -class Star Destroyer.

* * *

In a separate chamber, an armored figure was readying himself for a battle against a training droid... Igniting his dark green Inquisitor lightsaber as Vader entered the room to greet him...

"You have a new task..."

The figure, a boy, stopped his movements to listen...

"You are being sent to deal with an uprising on Mandalore... Tiber Saxon requires assistance in dealing with Mandalorian rebels, which were former supporters of Maul."

The name of Maul rang into the boy's mind... bringing him great pain and anger at the memory... Maul's escapades had cost him a friends life, his former master's eyes, and corrupted the Rebellion into a force of evil...

The spirits of the zabrak's witch mother and her followers increased the violence in the Rebellion, beginning their battle against the Empire to exact revenge on Palpatine. At least that was what he remembered, and it was what Palpatine told him...

The mask covering his face folded upwards, revealing deep yellow-green eyes that held very little of the mind they once held... The greenish tint being the sole reminder of their once deep blue color. Palpatine's brainwashing was a success...

"Yes, master... I'll do my best to crush them..." His brows furrowed out of sheer hate...

"When your training is complete, you will be sent immediately..." Vader said, before breathing once more...

Ezra turned back to his disabled opponent, and awaited further instructions...

Up in the balcony overlooking the training dojo, Vader placed a setting in the droid. It cloaked itself in a an advanced hologram made to resemble the exact likeness of Mace Windu. The Dark Lord especially enjoyed watching Ezra tear the droid apart...

* * *

-If I have the time I will be showing how Ezra became... Not Ezra.

-Darth Vader, Thrawn, and Palpatine are so fun to write.


	21. Warriors of Mandalore

**_"Despite what the others say, war is inevitable..."-Mon Mothma_**

* * *

 **Yavin IV, Base One**

The cold blue images of Cassian, Ryder, and Kallus hovered above the massive table placed in the center of the main control room.

The downtrodden look on Ryder's face indicated the worst... Kallus's report only confirmed it.

"Our attack on Lothal is unfortunately improbable... I'm afraid our operations on Lothal have been discovered by the Empire... We were forced to evacuate from our camp when they sent tanks and a walker to blast us away."

Mon Mothma frowned upon hearing the news... General Draven told her that the mountains Blue Squadron had scanned for Ryder acted as a natural shield against sensors.

"How could this happen? Is there some change in their tactics that revealed their location?" She turned to the two Generals and Senator Organa.

"I've received intel stating that the Empire's been improving their communication ships... The ship above Lothal apparently has been replaced with a modified Republic Star Destroyer... _Venator_ -class..." General Draven reported, telling the Rebel leader everything he knew about this... Not very much... "I have no intel on the reason behind the use of a communications vessel, despite the fact that the tower used by the late Bridger to send his message has since been rebuilt..."

Dodonna began to consider the possibilities... Using old republic ships certainly seemed more effective, due to their massive size.

"Gerrera's reports were true... The Empire is tightening security in that sector... But why would they do such a thing?"

Ryder provided an answer to the General's question... "It seems to be that the Empire is converting the planet into a massive shipyard... or something. They've started mining the entire southern continent. All the inhabitants of that area have been pushed out of their homes and sent to mines and factories."

"I may have an idea on what exactly they're building..." Kallus inserted, "Lothal is the site on which the TIE Defender prototypes were constructed. Sienar Fleet Systems may have been authorized to convert the planet into a massive TIE Fighter factory. After the destruction of the facility orbiting Nar Shaddaa by a newly surfaced Rebel cell."

"The Rebel cell participating in that attack was led by a Jedi Master called Rahm Kota. I've heard that he was injured by a new Inquisitor." Senator Organa added... "I haven't been able to find or contact him since..."

"Speaking of Jedi... Where is Kanan?" Ryder asked... Kanan was usually present at these sorts of meetings.

"He has been sent to Mandalore with Captain Rex. They've been instructed to assist the Mandalorian Rebels led by Clan Wren." Mon Mothma politely answered... "I've agreed to help them liberate their world."

* * *

 **MANDALORE**

Rex stared at the facility from afar... It seemed to be extremely secure, with the light turbolaser cannons mounted on each level...

"Exactly how sure are you that you're father's in there?" The captain said inquisitively... There seems to be something... off about it.

"Well our spies in the Capital said that he was here... and they've been right so far." The young Mandalorian reasoned. The intel given by Clan Ordo in Sundari has been fairly accurate so far, meaning that the information is trustworthy...

The two hid inside the trench to avoid detection. Sabine reported her findings via comlink. "Rau, I've got a squad of stormtroopers in front, plus multiple turbolaser cannons."

The Journeyman Protector's reply coincided with a high-pitched beep from the comlink. "Copy that, Spectre 5. Moving to your right flank..."

Rau lead his team up their right flank, attempting to find a position that would keep them within the blind spot of those turbolaser cannons.

During the march, Kanan voiced his own concerns on the mission itself. "Sabine, doesn't it seem suspicious that the Empire would move your father so far from the Capital...?"

"My father has many friends. He's not just important to me..." The wielder of the Darksaber replied, "The Empire probably moved him out here to prevent people from doing what we're about to so..."

Rau chimed into the discussion, while analyzing the defenses. "That may be true, but I'd put nothing past these Saxon Clan traitors..."

He took cover and gave the all clear... "We're in position Spectre 5..."

"Copy Rau, over..." Sabine looked up at her cousins from Clan Wren, as well as warriors from lesser Clans in service of Clan Wren. "Alright, Clan Wren... Check your fire for the captive... We're going in the front door, on my lead."

She turned to Rex as the Wren warriors got into formation. "You sure you can fly that thing?" She gestured to his jetpack.

"Ohhhhh believe me, I was using one of these babies fighting during the Siege of Mandalore... Maul's supercommandos were pretty tough nuts to crack though... That beskar armor is pretty tough..."

"You're right. I've heard it's s strong enough to resist hits from lightsabers... We should probably get going..."

Sabine climbed out if the trench, making herself visible to the Stormtroopers guarding the prison.

One of the troopers, once it caught sight of her, pointed at her... "Target acquired!"

Another, a lieutenant, reported to the commander of the prison. "Sir, we have a single target approaching from the North."

Sabine pulled the Darksaber from one of her holsters, and lifted it into the air. When she activated the blade, it would be visible from afar. This was their signal... Clan Wren and Rex began the charge.

"Correction. We have multiple targets! We have multiple targets!" The lieutenant reported. The guards now had to take action in defending the prison.

Sabine yelled at the top of her lungs. "FORWARD!"

Her signal in place, Sabine and Clan Wren charged forward, taking off on their jetpacks. Rex was slightly slower, but gained momentum once in the air... followed closely by a very grumpy Chopper.

Rau and Kanan ran from their section, not far behind...

Jump troopers began launching from the tower to engage Mandalorian forces. They would provide a sufficient distraction while the turbolasers systematically shot the enemy down one-by-one. A trio of them moved to engage Rau and Kanan, who seemed to be much easier targets...

"I'll handle it!" Kanan joked as they approached. With a single large leap, Kanan was on the back of one of the troopers. The jedi cut into the jump pack, sending the trooper flying into another next to him. Another jump and the third was also falling from the sky...

Rau watched them fall, muttering to himself... "Showoff..."

Meanwhile, Sabine was dodging slow turbolaser shots easily, and using the darksaber to cut down stormtoopers in her path...

The commander opened a channel to Tiber Saxon. "As you anticipated, Sabine Wren is leading the attack..."

Tiber's eyes shot with delight at the news... He had a chance at improving the weapon. "You may do away with her allies, commander... But I want her alive..."

However, the commander seemed to be distressed at the orders... "Lord Saxon, I-I cannot even guarantee we can hold the tower!"

Saxon grinned... "I know how stubborn Clan Wren can be... Which is why I dispatched reinforcements to help you..."

Two Gozanti-class cruisers from the nearest garrison began to lower into drop height... One was carrying a pair of All Terrain Scout Transports (AT-STs), and the other carried a pair of Armored Assault Tanks (AATs). The Empire made infrequent use of its own versions of Separatist tech, using Imperialized versions of AATs, MTTs, and Umbaran Artillery.

"We got four new hostiles..." Rex pointed at the AATs specifically. If the Imperialized version is just like the CIS model, then there's going to be a lot of explosions from their heavy laser cannons...

Sabine watched the four armored vehicles advance... "Well this certainly got more interesting..."


	22. The Hunter of Mandalore

**_"_** ** _Better to die than to fear dying."-Boba Fett_**

* * *

 **Deep Space, Mandalore Sector**

A Rebel CR90 Corellian Corvette flew across the empty space, carrying supplies to a second rendezvous point. Their destination: Yavin. As it flew through the freezing cold darkness, it met with its escort consisting of two old V-Wing starfighters stolen from a reclamation station similar to Reklam Station. Many old republic ships were stolen from these types of stations, including the Y-Wings stolen by Phoenix Squadron.

The captain informed the two fighters of the upcoming jump. "We're about to jump to Checkpoint B... Initiate docking protocols immediately."

"Copy that captain, beginning docking sequence..." The Rebel pilots moved to dock into the ship's underside.

The Alpha 3 Nimbus-class V-Wing interceptor, used by many Clone pilots in the final year of the Clone Wars, completely lacked a hyperdrive. It relied solely on larger ships, such a Republic _Venator_ -class Star Destroyers, to move across extremely long distances. Because the Rebellion lacked hyperspace rings, they are forced to use carrier ships to transport V-wings, V-19 Torrents, stolen TIE Fighters, and any severely damaged starfighters.

But unbeknownst to the Rebels, another ship was following them some distance away. Its pilot was a master survivalist, with a great penchant for hunting... He then decided to make himself known...

"Captain, we're aborting the docking sequence..." The wings of the two interceptors folded into attack position. Their engines boosted as they made sharp turns to directly engage the assailant.

"What's happening, Greyhound Two?!" The captain's breathing audibly heavies as he tries to listen to the buzzing of the comms.

"An unidentified ship is moving towards us at an attack speed. We think its Imperial..." They sped up their craft, moving into attack speed.

The hunter ship simply flies past, releasing a single object in their path. The speed at which it was flying indicates a need to remain at a safe distance...

"That's weird... It's not even trying to open fire..." Greyhound One reported... Within seconds, they realized why the ship wasn't engaging directly... Though it would be their last thoughts.

 _BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!_ The object detonates with an extremely loud bellowing boom, unleashing a massive seismic wave that tears the fighters apart and brings heavy damage to the corvette. A seismic charge...

A Rebel technician reports the damage. "Captain, we've lost our engines and the turrets seem to be out of power... We're totally defenseless..."

"Get the recruits into the shuttle. Let's hope they escape... We'll buy you time if they want to board." The captain grabbed a DC-15s blaster carbine from a weapons compartment. The rebel navy troopers pulled blasters out of their holsters.

The Firespray attached to the docking clamps.

"The Empire's here... Secure the docking bay." Navy troopers stormed into the hallway where Slave I was docked, and waited...

However, when the airlock opened they weren't expecting a torrent of fire. They tried aiming and firing, but the intensity of the flames killed them far too quickly.

Boba Fett was now inside the corvette, and with a single move killed almost half the navy troopers. He marched towards the cockpit, killing every navy trooper in his way...

The captain watched the docked Taylander shuttle escape, making no move when the Mandalorian bounty hunter cut through the thin durasteel door...

"If you want information, the holoprojector and navacomputer have been purged of the locations of all Rebel bases. The Empire will never know, bounty hunter..."

The news angered Fett. All his effort in hunting Pryce's most valuable target was all for nothing... He raised his modified EE-3 and fired, giving the man a quick and painless death.

He initiated self destruct and returned to Slave I, flying away from the ship as it exploded spectacularly...

The beep of his holoprojector gave him some level of delight... Someone has an assignment for him. A simple press of a button, and the image of Tiber Saxon appeared before him...

"Boba of Clan Fett... I have an assignment for you... I've informed Governor Pryce that you'll be working for me now."

"Who's the target?"

"Sabine Wren... Bring her to me alive, and I will reward you handsomely..."

"As you wish..." Fett shut off the transmission, and jumped to hyperspace...

* * *

 **MANDALORE**

The AATs moved very slowly, especially in comparison to the AT-STs. But unlike the walkers, which went down extremely easily when Clan Wren's warriors pelted them with rockets, the AATs were far more heavily armored.

The AATs weren't heavily damaged by the anti-infantry rockets, and their anti-personnel blasters were highly inaccurate against such fast moving targets. However, they did provide a sufficient distraction while the turbolasers shot down Mandalorians.

Rex flew towards one of the AATs and landed on its hull... He pulled open one of the hatches, and dropped a thermal detonator inside... He jumped to the next hatch, and did the same... Exactly what he taught Saw Gerrera... As he flew away, the AAT dropped to the ground—engulfed in two small explosions.

The other AAT aimed its secondary blasters and fired at Sabine. The tank's accuracy was perfect, but in response she quickly activated her shield. She survived the hit unharmed, but began to fall to the ground.

Jump troopers formed a perimeter where she landed... Before she could recover she is quickly stunned.

The AAT moved closer, and aimed its heavy laser cannon at Rex, Rau, and Kanan.

The jumptrooper commander made his demands clear. "Stand down, traitors... Or she dies!"

All the fighting ceased... Clan Wren was at a standstill... They'd taken out all the turbolasers, but they were too risky to use against the troopers.

"Surrender! Now!" The trooper went on.

A sudden attack from above began to tear through the tank's armor. A starfighter was far more effective against the vehicle than simple blasters.

The commander tried to process the situation, watching more Mandalorians fly from the Gauntlet fighter.

Their leader yelled at Clan Wren. "Don't just stand there! Protect her!"

"Who exactly are these warriors?" Rex asked Rau.

"They're members of House Kryze... Another faction fighting the Empire."

The fighting began once more. And with more Mandalorian warriors, the jump troopers were killed within a matter of seconds...

Now that the garrison had been dealt with, it was time to see if Sabine's father was still there...

* * *

Please leave a review to tell me what you think!


	23. Agent of the Empire

**"** **Unless you take risks, do what must be done, there will always be limits to your abilities..."-Maul**

* * *

 **MANDALORE**

A warrior of Clan Wren yelled from her perch on the very peak of the tower.

"He's not here... They must've taken him away before we arrived!"

Sabine bowed her head towards the ground in disappointment... She fought so hard to find her father, but her final push was thwarted by bad intel... It was particularly challenging to fight through the orbital patrols, fighting through Imperials and loyalist clans at every turn... But she wasn't about to give up yet.

The roar of more jetpacks turned her attention away from her failures... These reinforcements weren't of Clan Wren... They were Clan Kryze, which means that some factions in House Kryze are willing to help her cause.

The lead warrior stepped forward as a spokesperson. "This was a trap set to lure you in..."

The teenager stared at the Kryze, processing the information... Of course it was a trap. The Empire wouldn't let that information be given away so easily.

"Korkie told me about this, and I tried to inform Countess Wren... But the Empire was jamming all transmissions. Instead, I decided to go assist you in case things didn't go as planned..."

Who would know all of this? Sabine thought to herself... Only someone with great influence... "Who are you?"

In response, the two Kryze removed their helmets...

"Kanan, Rex... This is Lady Bo Katan of House Kryze... And her nephew Korkie. Bo Katan was named regent of Mandalore by the Jedi after her sister was killed..."

Rex chuckled heartily. "Lady Kryze and I fought side-by-side during the Siege of Mandalore. While Ahsoka was fighting Maul..."

"I may have plotted against my sister as part of Death Watch, but her death by Maul angered me more than anything. Order 66 ruined my chance to end him..." Bo said, her tone still retaining a growl at the mere memory of that horned freak.

Kanan attempted to give the Lady a sense of closure. "Maul's been gone for a while. I sensed his death... And my old padawan told me that Master Kenobi killed him."

"Good... Maul's dead, but now the Empire and Clan Saxon pose a larger threat than he ever did..." Kryze remained alert, listening for the sound of incoming enemies...

Sabine, who remained silent through the conversation, made a very important decision... "Your commitment to Mandalore's freedom is legendary... You deserve this more than I ever will..."

Bo shook her head... "I had my chance as ruled, and I failed... I am not the leader you seek..."

The faint sound of TIE Fighters approaching gave them a signal indicating that they should get moving...

Korkie and Bo Katan put their helmets on, and with a roar began to fly to the gauntlet fighter. Clan Wren, Kanan, Chopper, and Rex followed closely.

* * *

Meanwhile, a TIE Advanced v1 punched its way out of the swirling cerulean vortex that is hyperspace... Placing itself in the orbit of Mandalore.

"Droid, transmit the clearance codes..." An ID-9 Seeker Droid extended a datalink arm and attached itself to the console... The codes began the transmission process, directly contacting the _Venator_ -class Star Destroyer _Majestic_.

"Your codes have been received, Hand of the Emperor. You may proceed to Saxon's Star Destroyer, for which I have provided coordinates."

The fighter zoomed towards the city of Sundari, followed by an escort of TIE Interceptors. Standard procedure for the arrival of an important official.

The squadron flew towards a single _Venator_ -class Star Destroyer hovering next to the city. The massive dorsal hangar doors began to pull apart to allow access...

As the agent landed his TIE, placing the wings in landing position...

"Droid, open the hatch..." The Empire didn't advocate for individuality, not even giving names to its droids... Usually they'd be replaced often because they're destroyed in battle.

Ezra's outfit was very minimalistic compared to the rest of Vader's agents. It was very similar to his rebel outfit, save for its jet black coloring and the extra durasteel armor plating. He carried two lightsabers, both of which are of different colors. One red, one green...

Tiber Saxon walked down the path towards the fighter, which was flanked on both sides by lines of stormtoopers... A classic ceremonial formation...

"Welcome, agent... I hope Lord Vader will be pleased by our new weapon..."

Bridger's yellow-green eyes scanned Saxon for any traces of lies... None so far...

"I hope so, Governor... Lord Vader's not one who'll accept anything unsatisfactory... What about your fight against the rival houses?"

"I've already hired the bounty hunter Boba Fett to bring their leader, Sabine Wren, to me... She will be dealt with accordingly..."

Ezra stared at the man blankly through his helmet, which had no obvious lenses. "Fantastic... I'll be monitoring your progress, as Lord Vader promised..."

The boy walked past Saxon, his cloak swinging back and forth as he moved forward.

* * *

 **YAVIN IV**

"General Syndulla, General Draven... We have a new set of intel from Voohoorian..."

Hera glanced at the intelligence agent, then to Draven... "What kind of intel?"

"The Incom Corporation will send a shipment of T-65b X-Wing starfighters to the Empire for testing within two weeks..."

Draven nodded... "I'll inform Mon Mothma... We'll need to capture these X-Wings in order to prevent the Empire from manufacturing them..."

Hera's inquisitive side surfaced... "Manufacturing them? How would we stop them from simply making more?"

"Voohoorian's rebel cell on Fresia is staging an attack on the factory. They hope to purge all traces of the blueprints from Imperial databanks, and send the data to us. Captain Kallus and Captain Andor have been reassigned and called back to Base One. Andor and our best men will be sent to support the Incom defectors..."

"I'll get my squadron ready. Should I inform General Merrick and the other squadron leaders?"

"You may proceed..."


	24. Static

" _As a veteran TIE pilot, I understand that the Rebellion is a vile movement against the true government, but in all honesty I have to respect the aggressiveness and ability of its pilots. Though most of them have not been formally trained, their experience in battle has more than made up for it._ "

―Flight Leader Trel Skutu

* * *

 **MANDALORE**

The trap is set... Kanan stood idly on the burnt sand, waiting... They'd been planning this for two days now. And now their target is being transferred from a different prison to Saxon's star destroyer hovering outside the capital city of Sundari.

A nearby explosion signaled the start of the attack: Rau and Countess Wren's diversion has begun. The smoke quickly rose to the air like a squadron of TIE Fighters deployed from a carrier.

Now all that they needed was the caravan of hovering vehicles they planned on ambushing...

It didn't take long. The caravan arrived quickly, consisting of an Armored Assault Tank (AAT), speeder bikes, jump troopers, Mandalorian supercommandos, and the main transport. The transport itself was a HCVc A9 Juggernaut; an Imperial turbo tank stripped of most of its weaponry to make space for command equipment and prison cells. This one only had one prisoner: Ulrich of Clan Wren and House Viszla.

Kanan waited for them to approach, deflecting blaster fire. One of the deflected shots hits a scout trooper square in the chest, killing him instantly.

Sabine activates her jetpack, stealing a speeder from one of the scout troopers. Once she achieves stability on the vehicle, she activates the darksaber. The jet black plasma of the blade cut an intercepting speeder bike in half with a single swing.

Chopper, as planned, positioned himself at the front of the juggernaut and attached an electromagnetic pulse charge. Mechanically chuckling to himself as he flew away, he activated the charge. The juggernaut halted almost immediately; its wheels no longer able to function. The turret on its dorsal hull being used to attack the agressors ceased firing, and the gunner manning it was knocked out by the shock.

Bo-Katan and Rex agreed on a plan as they hovered in front of the juggernaut.

"I'll take the two on the right." Rex said, raising his twin DC-17 blasters.

"I'll take the two on the left." Kryze said, before turning to fire at her selected targets.

Bo Katan took the two supercommandos out quickly and efficiently, her yellow blaster bolts punching through the weakest places in the beskar armor.

Rex's less powerful blue blaster bolts, which were use most effectively against droids, took multiple shots to kill a supercommando. The second one was facing away from him to fire at Korkie, giving the old clone a good shot at his jetpack. Once the jetpack was shot, the man was thrown into the durasteel walls of the juggernaut by the chaotic movement caused by system failure.

Meanwhile Kanan used the Force to jump on top of the downed Juggernaut. A hatch opened, dropping inside...

Several stormtroopers aimed at him. "Drop your weapon..."

"Oh I have another idea." Kanan smugly said. Swinging his lightsaber's plasma blade, he proceeded to cut all of their E11 blaster rifles in half. All the others saw was a massive side hatch opening, and the stormtroopers being flung out.

"Captain, the propulsion systems are online..." An Imperial combat driver began to press on the controls, reactivating the wheels Chopper disabled.

"Ahead full. We need to escape them..." Captain Hark yelled into his comlink. He was the last line of defense to the small prison cell at the back of the massive armored tank.

The small room became cloaked in blue light... The heat of the Jedi's lightsaber sliced through the thick durasteel bulkhead, which was build to survive direct attacks from starfighters. The air began to produce a suction effect; the chamber now exposed to the outside.

"You will not escape with the prisoner, Jedi... Your treachery has brought chaos to Mandalore..." That was what Hark wanted to believe... The Jedi were the most hated people in the Galaxy following the Clone Wars. The fact that they survived the purge was reason enough for many worlds to bend the knee to the Empire. Most clans blame the Jedi for starting the tyranny of the Empire, Clan Hark included.

Kanan didn't respond to the supercommando's remark. He simply lifted him from the ground, demagnetizing the man's boots. He didn't think twice before letting him go, only for the Imperial to be sucked into the juggernaut's slipstream. It was obvious that the captain would survive, after all.

Chopper made an extremely long set of grumbled warbles as he flew towards the Juggernaut once again. In his manipulator arm was another ion mine, which he set in the heavy tank's path. He laughed as the mine detonated, making a spectacular discharge of static electricity. The tank's controls were fried for a second time, bringing the vehicle to a permanent halt.

"Are you with Sabine?" A man bound in the cell said... Ulrich Wren...

"I'm a close friend." Kanan said, deactivating the cell's force field...

Outside the juggernaut, the others face heavy fire from the AAT, which avoided both ion detonations. It was impervious to all their strategies. Sabine's paint bombs couldn't work because it lacked windows, the ion mines didn't work on hovering vehicles, and the rest of their weaponry can penetrate its thick durasteel armor.

They hid behind the juggernaut, which had armor that can resist the AAT's heavy artillery. The AAT's firing blast became a constant rhythm, as it attempted to break through... Until it suddenly stopped.

The team used their jetpacks to jump to the top of the vehicle to see what went on. A cloaked figure was cutting through the AAT's top hatch with a green lightsaber. They watched as he pointed to the two combat drivers inside, silently ordering two small probe droids to shoot them in the back...

"Who could that be?!" Sabine exclaimed, as she watched the droids climbed onto the figure's shoulders... They then watched as it jumped onto a speeder bike positioned at its left flank—a blind spot—and drove away at a freakishly high speed...

The noise of another jetpack firing took their attention... Captain Hark was getting away.

* * *

Hark answered a transmission from Sundari; a message from Saxon. "Captain Hark, is there trouble with the prisoner."

"The renegades and the Jedi attacked my convoy, and were able to liberate Ulrich Wren." Hark replied, changing his direction to fly towards the nearest Imperial outpost. There he could get a ship to take him to the Relentless...

The static made it difficult to glean Saxon's tone, but the words remained...

"They have planned well... Withdraw all forces, I am going to deploy the weapon... Before the end, they will all kneel before the Duchess."

Hark couldn't believe it... He hoped that Saxon would only build the weapon as a way to force the renegades into submission; he didn't think Saxon would be treacherous enough to use the weapon. Such a device is an insult to the Mandalorian way, for Hark believed in defeating his enemies in single combat.

* * *

The renegades carefully landed inside the blast-charred turbo tank. At the end of the door stood Ulrich, who was speaking to Kanan.

"Thank you, Master Jedi."

"Father..." Sabine's words caught his attention... He had not seen her in years, since before she left for the Academy... When she removed her helmet, he began to reminisce of the long days where he painted with her, and those times when he attempted to train with her... That was always Ursa and Tristan's specialty.

"When I got word that you had returned... I did not believe it..." He thought she would never stand to face the dishonor she brought to herself and her family... The Sabine he knew would always find a way to avoid her troubles, but it was obvious to him that she had grown...

"And..." She simply stood, waiting for a harsh lecture on Clan Wren's honor... Or a remark saying that she was a traitor... But she was genuinely surprised when he walked forward and hugged her...

"Sabine, you are my daughter..." She struggled to process what went on at first, but finally began to hug back... She's finally healed her old wounds...

"I was pleased then, even more now..." He looked at her artwork, which decorated her armor beautifully... "Your artwork has progressed... Your use of color and line is better."

"Better? What do you mean better? It's great..." She missed these conversations deeply... It was wonderful to speak to someone knowledgeable in art for once (that isn't Lando).

"I-It's getting there... Your design aesthetic is still derivative of the pre-exile masters..." Rex and Kanan looked at each other with slightly confused looks under their headgear... Sabine had never spoken about art in such a complicated way before... Not since Lando, and sometimes Ezra brought up the topic.

"Tojan was an influence obviously, but I made it my own... I thought you had a sharper eye..."

Rex quickly cut off the discussion... "I see where she gets her creative side..." He said to Kanan.

"Oh no, Captain Rex, Sabine gets her artistry from her mother. Ursa knows how to destroy her enemies in so many spectacular ways." The name drop immediately worried the clone.

"How do you know who I am...?" The clone was confused...

"I've studied the use of Mandalorian symbols in clone decals... You are the only trooper to have jai'galaara'la sur'haii'se (jaig eyes) in that specific shade of blue..." The trooper was impressed by the amount of detail the man knew...

"I must say, your eye for detail is like that of a shriek-hawk..." Shriek-hawks were the creatures that inspired jaig eyes in the first place, known for their extraordinarily sharp vision... "If you were a warrior you'd be an excellent sharpshooter."

"We need to get moving, we're too exposed here..." Bo Katan had to end the party. Imperial troops were most likely on their way to secure the convoy... A single strafe run from a TIE/sa bomber can destroy them all in one swoop.

Rex tapped into his comlink. "Countess Wren, we've rescued your husband... Ulrich's free."

The staticky response came quickly. "Then we have two victories today. Saxon's forces are dwindling far more quickly than we anticipated. Rau's team is staying behind to finish them off..."

Tristan's voice cut in to the feed. "Looks like we've got an incoming Imperial transport. The rest of Saxon's forces are retreating from Rau's position on the plains..." Sabine considered the possibilities of the transport's presence...

"Reinforcements to cover their retreat?" She asked...

"They've deployed a single scout walker... With no other support." Tristan report, followed by shots from his dual blaster pistols. "It's moving into attack position..."

"Laughable," Ursa remarked... A single scout walker won't survive multiple hits from their rockets. "Rau's team will destroy it within seconds. We'll go to the rendezvous point immediately."

A high-pitched humming overwhelmed the static... Sabine's worst fears have been realized in a matter of seconds...

"That sound... Mother! Tristan! Tell Rau to get out of there now!" The humming ended abruptly, as if it were a weapon charging and firing...

"Mother! Tristan!" There was no response. Whatever that was must've cut off their communications... or worse...

The explosion can be heard even from there...

"What is that?" Rex asked...

"No..." Sabine could simply say, before activating her jetpack... She began to fly to Clan Wren's position. The rest followed, but Kanan and Ulrich were forced to ride a speeder bike to the destination...

* * *

 **Base One, Yavin IV**

The Rebel generals stood at the end of the hangar... Watching the massive Incom cargo ship hover above them...

"Senator, I must ask what the cargo ship contains." Hera asked. The Incom Corporation always provided something useful for their cause. They provided U-Wings to many rebel cells, such as the infamous Partisans led by Saw and the newer Lothal group led by Ryder.

"Senator Organa secretly purchased several shipments of the Incom Corporation's T-65A2 X-Wing starfighters. Along with older ARC-170 starfighters." Mon Mothma said to Hera and the other Generals. "We provided this information only to General Dodonna, to preserve its secrecy. Due to the Empire's threats of placing stricter control on the Fresian company."

"I was unaware that the Fresians actually manufactured the X-Wings prior to nationalization... But I did read the plans Voorhoorian provided for a T-65B XxWing starfighter. I assume we are stealing that model from the Empire's facility." General Draven questioned, reading his datapad on Incom intel...

"Correct, General. Voorhoorian has stated that the T-65B is fitted with cutting edge technology, which can provide an advantage over Grand Admiral Thrawn's TIE Defender." It was rare to see Mon Mothma speak so passionately about an object that could be used for war, which she despised... But it can be assumed that she saw that they were necessary for the Rebellion's very survival. After all, there will be no peaceful resolution between the Empire and a pile of ashes.

"Senator, transports from Ryder's cell have landed in Hangar C." The Senator's assistant reported to her.

"I'd like to speak with them. We will need all we can to capture the shipment leaving Lothal..." Mothma said... "That includes your crew, General Syndulla. Inform them that they are to return to Base One when their mission to Mandalore has concluded. For now, we simply gather our forces..."

They watched the engineers carry the space superiority fighters out of the massive cargo ship on repulsorlifts. Perhaps they are ready to fight...

* * *

-Who is the mysterious figure?

-The I'm gonna make major edits to the "In the Name of the Rebellion" arc to involve Lothal and X-Wings. It'll bridge directly with "Occupation"/"Flight of the Defender".

-The next chapter has Darth Vader and a few other important Imperials...

-Please leave a review. I usually answer questions via pm, so people can see my little quotes.


	25. The Sundari Conspiracy

" _Develop technology without wisdom or prudence and your servant shall become your executioner._ "

―Walex Blissex

* * *

 **Mandalore**

Sabine and the others came to the legendary _vhetin be rang_ , the field of ash, which was the site of a massive battle between the Republic and Mandalore thousands of years before. The forests burned to the ground, and over time the ash was bleached white by the sun...

Now all she saw was Ursa, Tristan, and a few warriors of Clan Wren and Kryze laying unconscious on yet another layer of ash. Spread over the ash piles was the armor and helmets of the fallen...

"What the hell happened?" Rex exclaimed, seeing the defeated strewn over the battlefield in such a way...

The survivors were silent... Unable to process the devastating power of the weapon used against them... Friends, cousins, bannermen, allies; all were decimated in a quick and painful death...

"Where are the other survivors of this battle? The wounded... The victors..." Bo Katan examined the piles of charred beskar'gam closely... They looked as if they would fall apart if touched...

"I see... Only the defeated..." Ulrich reached for the ground, and analyzed the ash... Almost certainly the ashes of the dead. There was no possibility for a proper burial, as the ashes began to fly in the direction of the wind.

The sensation of high static electricity was still fresh in the air. Their hair stood up, and their communications were facing increased static.

"What could do such a thing?" Korkie removed his helmet to see the devastation with his own eyes... "The rumors can't be true, can they?"

"A weapon did this..." Ulrich's words burned into their minds... "A weapon created by my daughter..."

"Oh no..." Rex approached a very unique set of armor that stood out from the others, with its bright blue and yellow... Fenn Rau, like the rest of the Protectors, was nothing but a pile of ash in the wake of Clan Saxon's attacks...

Sabine was devastated by the loss of her cousins, bannermen, and Rau. Her watery eyes could only watch Rau's armor disintegrate in her hand... All of this was her fault. She built the weapon that ended Rau's life within the span of a second... She could no nothing but weep...

"There were rumors that the Empire had been working on a weapon that could neutralize Mandalorian armor. That it had even been tested on our people... I didn't believe it..." Bo Katan told Rex... She had been fighting the Empire for years, but she never really received any intel on this subject...

"No, not the Empire... Me! This is all my fault!" Sabine began to stand up... Anyone can see the great anger in her eyes; anger at herself...

Kanan tried to comfort her. "No Sabine, you can't jus-"

"Everything my father said is true, Kanan! I created the weapon that did all of this! And because of me, the Empire is going to turn Mandalore into a graveyard!" She was yelling now, the great fire in her heart burning hotter than that armor did. "Because of me, Mandalorians are going to die! Rau is dead because of me!"

Chopper moved forward and gave a warning signal in his grumbling tone...

"Chopper's picked up something..." Kanan said, translating the droid.

"Survivors?" Bo asked...

"No... Looks like the Empire's sending reinforcements to finish the job..." Rex held his binoculars, zooming on the Gozanti-class cruiser. It carried two AT-ATs, each of which likely carrying dozens of jump troopers...

"We need to get moving before they see us..."

A gauntlet fighter landed to extract them. And they boarded the fighter, taking any survivors of the Duchess's test with them.

* * *

 **The _Venator_ -class Star Destroyer _Relentless_ , near Sundari**

"In this recording you will see the first test trial of the weapon used against Clan Wren..." Saxon activated a full hologram demonstration of the Duchess...

An array of holograms watched the footage closely... First, an image of Darth Vader on Mustafar manifested on the projector. Then, the images of Grand Admiral Thrawn and Director Krennic appeared from Lothal. Next to Saxon stood Captain Hark and Ezra...

"I wish to see the effectiveness of this weapon my administration commissioned..." Director Krennic's outfit was absurd to Saxon. His cape was not regulation, though that was not an issue for him, and simply acted as a pathetic way to stand out from others. To Saxon, Krennic's face reeked of an ambition similar to his own.

They all watched the arc generator burst to life, instantly vaporizing Fenn Rau and a dozen Mandalorians. The armor fell to the white ash, now charred and brittle.

There were diverse reactions to the power of the Duchess. Krennic smiled at the sheer effectiveness... But Thrawn was much more disapproving of it. Vader and Ezra secretly held their own grievances...

"As you can seen, the arc generator's energy is attracted to the beskar alloy in the Mandalorian's armor. Superheating it and vaporizing the target... All the while, doing no harm to our Imperial stormtroopers..." Saxon said proudly... Years of work and dedication spent rebuilding it now ready for full deployment.

"Most impressive..." Vader simply said, returning to his rhythmic breathing.

"Beautiful... And truly effective..." Krennic smiled, "You have brought a device that will bring the renegades to their knees."

"Effective, yes... But you do not realize the true artistry of this weapon... You have created a weapon that turns an armor legendary for its strength into crippling weakness; and it strikes at the very heart of your culture." Thrawn disagreed with superweapons in general, and despised Saxon for turning against his own people. Even as a Grand Admiral of a tyrannical Empire, Thrawn never turned his back on the Chiss.

Vader and Krennic listened to Thrawn's opinion. The Chiss often had thoughts that may prove useful for future efforts.

"Lord Vader and Director Krennic wanted a weapon that can deal with this uprising quickly, and I have delivered it..." Saxon was starting to become uneasy.

"You are different from your brother... How would Gar Saxon feel about you betraying your heritage? How would your allied Clans, or your own men?" Thrawn knew that using such a weapon would simply cause more people to rise up. Fear is not an effective method of restoring order, though it was indeed an effective weapon. The Emperor did not win the support of the Republic during Order 66 through fear. In actuality, they loved him. This is why he did not agree with the Tarkin Doctrine, which inspired both Project Duchess and Project Stardust. Killing armies or whole planets will not win public support...

"My brother no longer feels anything... I have evolved, and Mandalore shall evolve with me." Saxon felt as if he gave an effective answer. And Thrawn acknowledged that, despite the fact that it was all lies.

"The weapon's range is far more limited than what you promised..." Darth Vader added...

"I only had pieces of the prototype. I did everything I could!" Saxon already experienced what it felt to fail under Vader's command... He will do anything to avoid such a shameful death.

"You have failed to complete the weapon because you have not mastered it. You require its creator, Sabine Wren..." The Sith Lord gave a clear command, for the rank of Governor meant nothing to the Emperor's personal enforcer.

"Why not send a renowned reactor scientist to assist me?" Saxon made a fair point. It did not make logical sense for one to capture an enemy and use her to complete the very thing she sought to destroy.

"They're all under my command, Governor. Project Stardust takes the highest priority." Krennic made an effort to say as little about the Death Star as he could.

Thrawn added to Krennic's statement. Restating the absolute secrecy of the Death Star. "Project Stardust is not of your concern, Governor. You must work with what you can receive..."

"The Grand Admiral and I must speak to my agent alone..." Vader's clearly stated that he needed Ezra alone... The Governor respected that, and he and Captain Hark departed immediately... Meanwhile, Director Krennic's image was deleted from the display, as he and his Death Troopers vacated the conference room on Lothal.

Ezra stepped forward and removed his helmet...

"It is a pleasure to finally meet as allies, Ezra Bridger... You would make a valuable commander in my fleet..." Thrawn stared at the boy, mentally noting the eye color change to a deep green... Believing it to be a side effect to Lord Vader's reconditioning methods...

"I can say the same, Grand Admiral... But we have tasks to complete..." Ezra's seeker droid sealed the door and shut off any surveillance cameras... The information being given here is top secret...

"Indeed... I believe Saxon's weapon has more features than he lets on... He was very tense during the demonstration, as if he was hiding a secret..." Thrawn's excellent abilities at reading body language once again proved to be of use...

Following a deep breath, Vader added to the conversation... "I concur... The Saxons have always been known for their treachery. Perhaps he is planning to use the weapon against our garrison... Their plasteel armor can attract the electrical energy used by the arc generator."

"So what should I do?" Ezra swatted his long black hair aside... He never received any time to cut it, nor did he need to.

"Saxon has hired a bounty hunter to capture Sabine Wren. You will assist Boba Fett, and bring her to Saxon as planned." Vader ordered.

Thrawn explained the details of his plan: "It is almost certain that she will sabotage the weapon and use it to destroy Saxon and his ship... Governor Tarkin will appoint a replacement: Rook of Clan Kast. She is well liked by both the Empire and the renegades."

"Very well... I will not fail..." Ezra shut off the transmission. When the droid deactivated the lockdown, he set off to find Boba Fett in Sundari.

* * *

-Please leave a review. What do you think of the conspiracy in Sundari?


	26. Shame

"You can't rule Mandalorians. You just make sensible suggestions they want to follow."

—Boba Fett

* * *

Bo Katan pinned Sabine to the wall of her gunship. Her face showed the intense fury of a leader seeing a threat that could end her people... Korkie pointed a blaster pistol at her, aiming it at her head.

"You're a Mandalorian! Why would you create such an abomination! That is the weapon of a coward!"

Sabine did nothing to resist. She truly believed that she deserved retribution for her involvement in such a heinous weapon...

"I was young! Arrogant! Looking for a challenge!" She had to think of her words carefully..."But when I realized the Empire actually intended to use it, I destroyed the prototype and the plans. I swear to you that I did! I thought that was the end of it!"

Kryze reluctantly released her... "Very well... I hope you can redeem yourself, just as you had to your own family... Now you must do so to all of Mandalore..."

* * *

Ezra stepped into a cantina deep in the lower levels of Sundari. Even during Satine's rule, the place was ripe with scum and villainy... Twi'lek and human dancers were at some tables, trying to entertain the guests in their own way... Mandalorian men and women were everywhere drinking at their heart's (and wallet's) desire. It was like a milder version of every Underworld bar in Coruscant...

All he needed to do was wait for Fett to show, as they agreed. But waiting in a place like this was difficult. Especially with the drunks and more illicit types plaguing the entire building...

To be perfectly honest, Ezra was surprised by the fact that criminals had a haven in an Imperial stronghold like this... However, Mandalore always had a history with corruption. Gar Saxon tried his best to suppress it, but so far Tiber has done nothing to resolve the problem. That has become a major point of concern for Tarkin, Vader, Thrawn, Krennic, and just about anyone with some level of political power. This level of corruption must be stopped at its source, which most believe to be Tiber himself.

The two interconnecting plates on his helmet folded up as he removed his hood, revealing his face... If he was going to wait, he had to blend in...

"Abrax..." He bluntly said to the bartender, placing several credits on the counter. His green eyes scanned for Boba in case he was sitting in some hidden table. Nothing... but at least he has a drink now. But what he did sight was an old duros man in a massive hat, with an ugly droid...

Bridger simply minded his own business, sipping from the brandy from time to time. He didn't want to dull his senses with the cognac. But of course, in such a bad neighborhood he would run into trouble...

"What's a pretty boy like you doing in a place like this?" Trouble... in the form of a creepy Zeltron woman. She looked quite nice in most standards, but he didn't tolerate how much she disregarded personal space...

"Get lost..." He didn't even look at her. She irritated him in every aspect, and he wanted her gone because of it...

"Hey I'm talking to you!" After that, Ezra had enough. He stealthily took one of his lightsabers from his hip and ignited it. The blood red blade went through her chest, killing her instantly...

The music stopped for a second, and people looked at Ezra with brief shock... Including the duros, who took notice on the red lightsaber, watching it as it retracted back into the hilt...

"I'm not much of a talker..." Ezra said, going back to his drinking... They laughed and acted like nothing happened... Getting killed for acting like an idiot is commonplace.

The ID-9 seeker droid on his shoulder tapped his head, telling him to go to the duros who was gesturing for him to come...

"I don't usually see Inquisitors in places like this..." The man pulled the brim of his hat up, giving a better view to his aquamarine skin and deep red eyes... It could only be Cad Bane...

"I'm looking for a specific person, Bane..." He stared into the hunter's deep red eyes... Trying to get information... "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to collect on a bounty on Sabine Wren... And my biggest rival is doing the same apparently..." Since his raid on the Senate, the aging bounty hunter always had a reputation for extreme professionalism. He showed little emotion on and off work, and was said to be as ruthless as Lord Vader... While his place as 'most dangerous bounty hunter' may have been taken by Boba Fett, he was still the go-to mercenary for sheer effectiveness...

"Maybe we can make an arrangement..." Ezra decided that the job may be done quickest with both of them working together. The most efficient and most dangerous bounty hunters would make a good team...

"I'm listening..." Bane didn't care about the circumstances of his work, as long as he gets paid well enough...

"Tiber Saxon has billions of credits at his disposal. If you're willing to work with Fett on this mission, I'll get him to increase your pay to a million credits for each member of the team..." Knowing Tiber, he probably had far more money than he let on... So he wouldn't care how much he had to pay, as long as he avoids death by Vader's force choke.

"Fair enough... Let's hear what the other two have to say about it..." Two new faces stormed into the cantina... Heading straight for Cad Bane and the Imperial agent sitting across from him...

"I must say I'm not surprised to find you here, Bane..." Boba Fett... And with him was the trandoshan, Bossk... It was obvious that they were after the same target...

"My client here has come to me with some new terms you might want to hear..." The duros and Todo-360 paid no attention to the blaster rifles in their hands...

"If you three work together, I'll make sure each of you get exactly double the pay listed on her bounty..." Ezra made an effort to say the words as clearly as possible, to give them a reason not to compete.

Fett lowered his blaster... "Sounds good to me..."

Bossk growled harshly and did the same... "It's a deal..."

Ezra smiled... "Fantastic... I have the exact location for the Clan Kryze camp she's being taken to. After this they'll probably move, but Saxon will get exactly what he wants. We can take my gunship to that cliff-face there, and sneak up on them in the dark of night..."

* * *

In the dark of night, the gauntlet fighter landed at the renegade camp... Its wings folding up to act as landing gear. A whole crowd of mandalorian warriors gathered around it, giving Sabine extreme discomfort. She knew why they were all gathered in one place.

"Sabine Wren! We know what you did!" The warriors pointed their blasters at her, ready to kill her on the spot.

"You betrayed us all! You're a traitor to Mandalore!" Another yelled.

"Lower your weapons!" Bo Katan stepped forward. "Sabine did everything she could to stop the weapon's completion. You must believe us."

"Any attack on my daughter is an attack on Clan Wren!" Ursa was finally awake, limping into view from the interior of the kom'rk-class fighter. Tristan also came forward to confront them, having slightly less of a limp.

Sabine closed her eyes, deciding that she will take a risk. "No..."

"Sabine! What are you doing?" Ursa said to her daughter. She didn't want to see her daughter step towards a possible death. Not after all the suffering they've been through.

What Sabine said next only confirmed Ursa's fears... "I'm prepared to take responsibility for my actions..."

"It's true..." The warriors kept their aim true, but listened to what she had to say... "I designed the weapon as a loyal Imperial. The Empire is using my prototype, but it is only at a fraction of its power... At full power, it will level armies; vaporize droids; destroy vehicles... Nothing will be safe if we don't destroy it now."

"So you've got a choice to make..." They lowered their weapons... "We can fight each other; or we can cooperate to destroy the weapon once and for all... Before they create more."

"I understand your anger..." Bo Katan marched down the ramp without her helmet, speaking to the people in a more direct fashion... "In many ways I feel the same... But now is not the time to be divisive. Sabine is right... And we need her..."

The warriors dispersed, returning to their transports, so they may return to their Clans' respective bases. All that was left was Clan Kryze, the one that controls this base...

Kanan, Rex, and the others soon followed Bo Katan into the main building. There they will discuss a strategy to destroy the arc generating weapon.

But Tristan saw Sabine walk away from the others, towards the edge of the base... "Where are you going?"

"I just need some time alone... I need to figure out a strategy to destroy that damned thing..." She jumped onto a speeder and zoomed into the rocky outcrops, before her brother could object... She didn't know about the extremely massive bounty on her head, not until it was too late.

Like a hawk, Ezra silently watched his former friend approach from afar... His seeker droid perched on his shoulder, he began to silently follow her. The others are already in position.

* * *

Please leave a review telling me what you think.


	27. Justice Through Single Combat

" _I invoke the code to seek justice through single combat!_ "

―Sabine Wren

* * *

 **Mandalore**

The bounty hunters were now in position. And so was Ezra...

"I'm in position..." Ezra's voice was distorted by his mask, which hid most of his face. His hair, now somewhat long, was allowed to flow freely.

"Whatever happens, I want that paycheck." Fett activated his jetpack and flew upwards, firing a rocket barrage. The rockets hit the clifface, causing a landslide that blocked off the pass.

* * *

The explosions were very difficult to ignore. The bright flashes of light received Sabine's attention quickly.

"I have a bad feeling about this..." She started running as fast as she could. Her jetpack's fuel was limited, and it might be needed in case she had to fight.

Bossk, basked in moonlight, roared at the top of his lungs. He threw impact grenades at a clifface on the other side of the pass. Now their target has no choice but to use her jetpack to escape.

To prevent Sabine's escape, Bane shot her jetpack with a deactivator. She was trapped, and had no choice but to fight. She hid the ground with a loud thud.

"Bounty hunters..." She deactivated her blasters' safety, and aimed them at Bane... "I'm guessing Saxon sent you..."

The Duros tipped his hat at her... "The Governor's giving each of us two million credits for your capture..." All three of them would do anything for wealth. But Bane in particular simply decided that collecting bounties was the most thrilling way to do so, rather than pillaging trade ships or becoming a soldier.

"That's very considerable... Too bad you'll never catch me alive..." However, she soon realized that she was surrounded. Bossk and Boba Fett both pointing blasters at her.

The Trandoshan growled. "If you don't get out of this aliiiiive, we can just deliverrrr your remains to the Black ssssssSun for a similar fee. Princcccce Xixorrrr never forgot how you fled ssso quicklllyyy."

She could fight them. She wasn't afraid. Situations like this are when she really shined... But one sound faded all of those thoughts...

A lightsaber ignited with a deep hum... _Ffffkrrrrshhzzzwooooom!_

The sudden green light immediately gained her interest. She only knew about one lightsaber that had that color, and wanted to know if it was really what she thinks...

Her eyes met a figure with dark, piercing green eyes and black shoulder-length hair. His hands tightly held the metallic hilt of a lightsaber that she immediately recognized as Ezra's. It seemed to be a trophy... A challenge...

"Inquisitor..." The thought of Ezra's death brought her rage... He didn't deserve that fate. She remembered how she weeped for hours after seeing the galaxy-wide broadcast. That Imperial deserved to be punished for defiling her best friend in such a way...

"It looks like I have something you want..." That was most certainly a taunt... A taunt said by an Inquistor that seems to be a... boy? He was nowhere near as old as the others.

"That weapon doesn't belong to you." Sabine said to the boy, trying to threaten him. There was no possibility for Sabine to win this battle. He could use the force, and she could not. All she can do is try fighting...

"It does now..." His Droid reattached to the back of his chestplate. "Tiber Saxon needs your... expertise. And we've been ordered to bring you to him, preferably alive..."

"I'll never go willingly." She ignited the Darksaber... He was too close for blasters, and her jetpack's disabled. She had no choice but to duel him fairly, though she doubted that he'll play by the rules. "You're no Mandalorian, but I still invoke the code to seek justice through single combat!"

With a powerful swing, the child of Mandalore made the first move. Its sheer ferocity caught the boy off guard. He quickly blocked it, using the Force to boost his more or less average arm strength.

This will be fun. He thought to himself...

The bounty hunters sat back and watched. Whether he wins or not, they can still subdue her easily. They're getting their money, no matter what happens.

* * *

"We were hoping the situation would be better by now..." The icy blue image of General Hera Syndulla, projected by Chopper, spoke with Kanan alone... It's been three weeks since he left Yavin to join Sabine on Mandalore... Three weeks was too long... And Mandalore was too far away from Yavin. They felt like they were a galaxy apart, which was true...

"We're planning to attack Saxon's cruiser directly. Hopefully we can destroy that weapon before it kills more people... Like what happened to Rau." Kanan's facial expressions didn't change very much under that mask. Nor did he smile often... He was only focused on the here and now, with a slight focus on the future. Nothing of the past...

"Well, if you can't get to that weapon... The planet will be lost..." Her expression was grim... Kanan can sense it... She was thinking of the thousands that would die at the weapon's hands... With no memory but a pile of ashes.

"I have faith in Sabine... She can do it..." He was sincere. He'd seen Sabine's growth as a person. From a lost girl running from her past, to a powerful rebel, and finally going full circle as she confronts her past head on. It made him proud... It made them both proud... If only Ezra could see how far she's gotten...

"The rumors about the weapon are how I convinced Mon Mothma to help... But when that's done I need you to come back..." Hearing that made Kanan smile...

"Ah... Having trouble overthrowing the Empire without me?" The sass began to come back after the seriousness of the rest of the conversation. He wanted to be with her again... It's been too long...

"Our team is an important asset to the Rebellion." Hera knew well about how much her team gets done. She's heard chatter comparing her team to the Republic commandos. They worked best together, just like Delta Squad... But like Delta Squad, they lost one of their valuable members during the war...

"An asset? Is that what we are?" Kanan never liked the concept of fighting for another military. He already had enough of military protocol during the Clone Wars. After all, he was only fourteen years old when the War ended... He managed to lay low for a while, but now he's in yet another war. He won't get used to that after such a traumatic war experience.

"You know what I mean..."

"You know how I feel..." That slightly confused Hera.

"Are we still talking about the mission?" She could see this becoming far more personal.

"That depends..." He slightly leaned forward. He's been neglecting his feelings for so long. His duties as a master were always first... But Ezra's gone... The Jedi are dead... Perhaps he could get away with breaking the Jedi Code...

"On what?"

Kanan's answer was more or less annoying... "You know..."

Chopper was certainly irritated by what he said... But he's also irritated by just about anything.

The Twi'lek general sighed... "Be careful out there... see you soon..."

The hologram disappeared, leaving Kanan to contemplate alone... Chopper decided to leave him in peace for once.

Unfortunately that was cut short by Korkie Kryze running towards him frantically.

"Sabine's in danger!" He yelled.

"What?" He stood up, and turned to 'look' at the Mandalorian's visor.

"Bounty hunters..." That was enough to get him to act. He started running towards the speeders. He joined with Mandalorian warriors, Tristan, Ursa, Bo Katan, and Rex. They then all jumped onto speeders to reach Sabine's last known position.

* * *

-I do have a reason why Ezra started acting very un-Ezra as the story progressed. With some inspiration from the MCU.

-Please leave a review. I hope it's useful, because simply saying "Please update" can be extremely frustrating at times.

-And to all Americans reading this when it was first uploaded, Happy Thanksgiving! Here's something to be thankful for.


	28. UPDATE

**It's been very difficult to write, due to school. And the fruits of that seem obvious.**

 **I'm not very satisfied with how rushed this fic is, so I'm going to stop updating it. It will be rewritten and posted on AO3, which I already have a foothold in. Hopefully it might be longer, and fits more with my vision of the story.**

 **Thank you, and may the Force be with you.**

-TheEmperorHimself


	29. Another Update

**Hello there!** **General Kenobi, you are a bold one!**

 **I've been extremely busy with schoolwork right now, so I'm not completely certain if the rewrite would ever come.**

 **However, if I ever get around to doing that, I've made several changes to my plan.**

 **Firstly, there will be major changes to the story to incorporate Season 4.**

 **Secondly, I'm going to post it here.**

 **Thirdly, the Dark Side Ezra plot might be scrapped, but that is to be seen.**

 **Thank you, person reading this, for putting up with my crappy writing on and off for over a year.**

 **-The Senate**


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